Data validation is that process by which data is verified to be correct or complies with specific standards or rules. It is used in many different fields within Information Technology. An typical example is verifying the information a user enters into a web form is correct. The data validation section of the web form script sets the standard for precision and accuracy of the data and thus limits the room for error. For example, if you ask the user to type in his/her name using the standard format of "lastname, firstname". Your data validation section of the script would verify that the user is typing in a text answer in that specific format. The script compares the entered text to an example. If the answer is in the same format, then that data is accepted as valid. If the user typed in his/her social security number or anything else in a different format, the data is invalid and the form is rejected when the user tries to submit it. Note, this does not mean it removes all room for error. The information the user types is valid, not verified (correct). The user could insert "ewrew, werew" in the name section. Although this isn't a real name, it is nevertheless a valid name, because it follows the correct format.