How automated text redaction software improves data security

On the surface, text redaction software may sound intriguing — like something a spy agency does to protect classified information — but actually doing the work is far from glamorous. When done manually, it’s incredibly labor-intensive, requiring workers to pore over documents looking for every instance of a name or social security number to diligently black it out. Even worse, it’s unavoidable. Organizations have to painstakingly redact sensitive information from thousands of documents prior to distribution to meet compliance regulations and avoid lawsuits.

Fortunately, software developers have created a number of digital solutions to make this work easier. 

What is automated text redaction software?

Automated text redaction software describes any digital tool that helps users quickly identify and black out PII or PHI. These tools come in the form of standalone applications that users upload documents into or as features in a larger automation platform. All of them drastically increase throughput and processing speed by reducing the amount of labor needed from users.

Legacy technology like optical character recognition (OCR) can transform scans into processable text, which workers can then search for necessary redactions. Other tools help users accurately manipulate images to cover sensitive information. Though effective at reducing processing time, automated text redaction software can’t compete with newer automation platforms powered by deep-learning AI to handle even more complex tasks for workers.

How text redaction software keeps sensitive information private

Regardless of the type of software users choose, these tools offer much more security and peace of mind for organizations (and consumers) than manually redacting text. Here’s how:

Increased accuracy

Humans get tired and lose focus, making them prone to mistakes — especially when it involves high volumes of repetitive work. This can cause them to overlook sensitive information that should be redacted. Automated text redaction software catches sensitive information more accurately than human workers, so PII is less likely to fall through the cracks. Flexible solutions can even spot different iterations of flagged information, such as alternate name spellings or typos.

Improved consistency

Manually drawing black bars over sensitive information can be time-consuming. When processing a high volume of documents, workers might accidentally leave sensitive information exposed. Software can draw censor bars in a fraction of the time it takes workers to consistently cover words and phrases with nothing accidentally left exposed.