De-Identify Transcripts in Seconds
Remove all 18 Safe Harbor identifier categories from your research transcripts. Upload your files, we handle the rest.
De-Identification Demo
Input
Result
This demo is for illustrative purposes only. Please do not enter actual participant or sensitive data. For real de-identification, use our secure platform.
De-Identification Services
Your Research Team Should Be Doing Research
Right now, your research assistants are spending hours manually redacting names, dates, and locations from transcripts. That's not research -- it's busywork. You have a .docx from a focus group interview and you need the identifying information gone. Upload the file. We strip all 18 Safe Harbor identifier categories, replace them with consistent pseudonyms ([Participant 1], [City A]), and deliver a clean transcript ready for NVivo, Atlas.ti, or Dedoose. Your team gets back to the work that actually moves the study forward.
18
Identifier categories removed per the Safe Harbor standard
99%
Recall rate on identifier detection
NDAs
In place with many universities
$0
Included free with transcription
Safe Harbor Method
All 18 Identifier Categories, Handled
The internationally recognised Safe Harbor standard defines 18 categories of identifying information that must be removed before data can be safely shared. We handle every one.
How It Works
Three steps from raw transcript to publication-ready.
Upload
Upload your audio files or existing transcripts (.docx, .pdf, .txt) through our secure, encrypted platform. Tell us which identifiers to target or select full Safe Harbor removal.
We Handle It
We process your transcripts, replacing identifiers with consistent pseudonyms ([Participant 1], [City A]) and preserving your coding structure for qualitative analysis.
Download
Get your de-identified transcripts back ready for analysis. Every file includes a de-identification log documenting what was changed, ready for your ethics audit trail.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is de-identification?
- De-identification is the process of removing or transforming identifying details so that data no longer identifies an individual. Under the Privacy Act 1988, information is de-identified when it is no longer about an identifiable individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Landmark uses the internationally recognised Safe Harbor method: removing all 18 defined categories of identifying information.
- What is considered de-identified information?
- Information is considered de-identified when it neither identifies an individual nor provides a reasonable basis to identify them. Our approach removes all 18 Safe Harbor identifier categories with human review. Once properly de-identified, transcripts can typically be shared, archived, and reused with far fewer restrictions, which is why ethics committees commonly require de-identification before qualitative data is shared or archived.
- What are the 18 Safe Harbor identifier categories?
- To de-identify data under Safe Harbor, all 18 identifier categories must be removed: names, geographic data smaller than a state or territory, dates (except year) related to an individual, phone numbers, fax numbers, email addresses, government-issued identification numbers (such as Medicare numbers), medical record numbers, health plan beneficiary numbers, account numbers, certificate/license numbers, vehicle identifiers, device identifiers, web URLs, IP addresses, biometric identifiers, full-face photographs, and any other unique identifying number or code.
- How does your de-identification work?
- Upload your transcript (.docx, .pdf, .txt) or audio file and select which identifiers to remove (or choose full Safe Harbor removal). We process the file, replace all identifying information with consistent pseudonyms ([Participant 1], [City A]), and return a clean transcript ready for qualitative analysis in NVivo, Atlas.ti, Dedoose, or MAXQDA.
- Can you sign an NDA or confidentiality agreement?
- Yes. We routinely sign NDAs, confidentiality deeds, and data processing agreements with universities, hospitals, and research institutions — and Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) for teams collaborating with US institutions. We can use your template or provide ours.
- Is your de-identification service accepted by ethics committees?
- Yes. Our process is designed to meet HREC requirements for participant privacy protection. We provide documentation including de-identification logs and methodology descriptions that you can include in your ethics application or audit materials.
- How much does de-identification cost?
- De-identification is included at no additional charge for all transcription customers. If you need de-identification for existing transcripts (not transcribed by us), contact us for a quote.
- What file formats do you accept?
- We accept audio files (MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC) for combined transcription and de-identification, or existing transcripts (Word, PDF, TXT) for de-identification only. Finished files are delivered in your preferred format, ready for import into NVivo, Atlas.ti, Dedoose, or MAXQDA.
Ready to remove identifying information from your transcripts?
De-identification is included at no charge for all transcription customers. Upload your files and get de-identified transcripts back.
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