Method for creating avatars for protecting sensitive data

Device for creating avatars from an initial sensitive data set stored in a database of a computer system, said initial data comprising attributes relating to a plurality of individuals, the device comprising:

• a) a choice module configured to choose, for attributes relating to a given individual, a number (k) of nearest neighbors to be used from all the individuals in the initial data set,
• b) an identification module configured to identify, for said individual, the k nearest neighbors from among the other individuals in the data set,
• c) a generation module configured to generate, for at least one attribute relating to said individual, a new attribute value from quantities which are characteristic of said attribute in the identified k nearest neighbors and weighted by a coefficient, and
• d) an avatar creation module configured to create avatar data comprising the new attribute value(s), so as to ensure the sensitive data relating to the individual are non-identifiable.