Using date jittering for de-identification of a dataset

A computer program product embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising processor-readable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, enable the computer program product to:

• partition a dataset into a plurality of time-separated groups based on dates associated with a plurality of data records in the dataset, the plurality of time-separated groups comprising a first group associated with a first time period and a second group associated with a second time period;
• determine a first jitter amount for the first group;
• jitter dates in the first group by the first jitter amount;
• determine a second jitter amount for the second group;
• jitter dates in the second group by the second jitter amount;
• wherein the second jitter amount is different from the first jitter amount and preserves ordering of the dates associated with the plurality of data records in the dataset.

A computer system comprising:

• a memory storing instructions;
• and
• one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions to perform a process comprising:
• partitioning a dataset into a plurality of time-separated groups based on dates associated with a plurality of data records in the dataset, the plurality of time-separated groups comprising a first group associated with a first time period and a second group associated with a second time period;
• determining a first jitter amount for the first group;
• jittering dates in the first group by the first jitter amount;
• determining a second jitter amount for the second group;
• jittering dates in the second group by the second jitter amount, wherein the second jitter amount is different from the first jitter amount and preserves, in a data-jittered dataset, ordering of the dates associated with the plurality of data records in the dataset;
• receiving a query for data of the dataset;
• and
• outputting, to a display device and based on the query, data of the data-jittered dataset.