Mask data in messages

Welcome. In this video, you will learn what data masking is and why you might need it. I will also show you how to mask data in Journey Optimizer messages. So what is data masking? Data masking makes data not easily identifiable by hiding the actual data using modified content like characters or numbers. In Journey Optimizer, masking is done through replacing the data with the X character.

So why and when should you mask data? It helps you stay compliant with data protection acts such as GDPR and HIPAA, because it allows you to protect data that is classified as sensitive, such as personal identifiable information or protected health information. Data can be masked in multiple areas, such as reporting tools, statistical data mapping, et cetera. In this video, we will explore masking data in your communication with your customers or patients. Let’s jump into Journey Optimizer. I will show you how to mask data in an email. However, the same logic applies to any other area where you can personalize data. For example, in push messages.

I have prepared an email from the fictitious Luma pharmacy to a patient. The email has medication data which I need to mask. So let me open the Email Designer. Now I will mask the Medication1 entry. The masking is done in the personalization interface, with help of the helper function called Mask. You can find it under Functions, String Functions, Mask.

The function needs three parts, the string that you would like to mask. In our example, it is the Medication1, You will need to put the string in quotation marks if you are using a fixed expression.

The integers define how many characters of the string you would like to leave visible, from the left and from the right of the string. In this example, let’s only show the first three characters and mask the rest. So I will set the first integer to three, and the second one to zero.

Now, let’s see what the result will look like. You can do this by simulating the content.

You can see the string has been masked, except for the first three characters, so exactly what we expect.

But the masking, of course, is not limited to fixed strings. You can apply it to profile attributes. Let me show you how to do that. Now, let’s add the recipient’s email address to the footer of the email and then mask it. By the way, you can also search for the mask function. It is quicker than browsing.

This time, I will use the profile attribute email. When using attributes, you do not need to set them in quotes. You can just put the cursor where you want to add them, and then add them from the left panel.

In this case, we’ll show the first two characters and the last five. The syntax is validated when saving, but you can also validate it by clicking the Validate button.

Let’s see what it looks like.

And we can see that only the first two and the last characters are legible. The rest is Xed out. Now you know how to mask data using the helper function Mask. Thank you for watching. -