The data acquires importance from its processing and analyzing the context.
From the Latin datum ( "what is given" ), a piece of information is a document , information or testimony that allows us to gain knowledge of something or deduce the legitimate consequences of a fact. For example: "We have discovered the murderer thanks to the information provided by a witness."
It is important to keep in mind that the data does not have meaning in itself, but is used in making decisions or performing calculations based on appropriate processing and taking into account its context . Typically, the data is a symbolic representation or attribute of an entity .
Different ways of understanding the concept
In the field of humanities, data is considered a minimal expression of content regarding a topic. The set of related data constitutes information.
In this sense, it is interesting that we make known the existence of what is known as a data bank. This is a term that is used to refer to the set of information that has been collected on a certain subject and that can be used by several people.
It is important to emphasize, in addition to everything stated above, that throughout the world there are a series of countries that use the term data with another meaning. Specifically, these are Eastern nations that when they talk about data they are referring to a title of high esteem and dignity.
Data protection
Likewise, we cannot ignore the existence of a particularly important concept at this time in our society. We are referring to what is known as data protection . With this expression we speak of a system, of a legal nature, through which the personal data of citizens that are in the power of any of the Public Administration organizations is prevented from being revealed, that is, breaking the barrier of confidentiality with them.
There are different media that make data storage possible.
This fact is so important that currently in Spain there is what is known as the Spanish Data Protection Agency. In general, its basic function is to ensure at all times compliance with the law that exists on said matter. However, it is also responsible for addressing citizens' complaints, exercising sanctioning power or establishing certain guidelines and recommendations regarding security.
The notion in computing
For computer science , data are general expressions that describe characteristics of the entities on which algorithms operate. These expressions must be presented in a certain way so that they can be processed by a computer . In this case, the data by itself does not constitute information either, but rather it arises from the proper processing of the data.
The set of data that belongs to the same context and that is stored systematically so that it can be used in the future is known as a database (or database , according to the English term). These databases can be static (when the stored data does not vary over time) or dynamic (the data changes over time; these databases, therefore, require periodic updates).