The acronym PII stands for Personally Identifiable Information, which refers to any data that can be used to identify an individual. Examples of PII include names, social security numbers, addresses, and email contacts. Protecting PII is essential for maintaining data privacy and security, especially in compliance with regulations like GDPR and CCPA. Organizations that handle PII must implement strict data protection measures to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, and misuse of personal information.