Contextual integrity posits that people share private information in one context based on trust that it will not be shared in a different context. Which statement best captures this idea?

• A. Data should always be shared with third parties if required by law.
• B. Sharing is guided by the context and intended audience.
• C. Anonymization guarantees privacy in all contexts.
• D. Data ownership eliminates concerns about sharing.

Answer: (B)

Contextual integrity is about whether sharing private information fits the norms of a specific situation and the people involved. The idea is that information flows are appropriate only within a given context and for a particular audience, with trust that it won’t spill into unrelated contexts. Saying that sharing is guided by the context and intended audience captures this precisely: what’s acceptable depends on where the information is, who’s receiving it, and why.

For example, patient data may be shared with doctors and clinicians involved in care, but not with marketing teams. Law or policy can mandate disclosures, which isn’t about context-based trust between individuals. Anonymization doesn’t guarantee privacy in all contexts, because reidentification can occur in different settings. Data ownership doesn’t automatically resolve how information should flow across contexts.