Which of the following would BEST describe the role directly responsible for data within an organization?

The Data Custodian is responsible for the technical management and safeguarding of data (e.g., backups, storage, access controls) on behalf of the information owner, but does not hold direct ownership or business accountability for the data.

The Information Owner (also called Data Owner) is the role directly responsible for data within an organization, holding ultimate accountability for the classification, protection, and use of specific data assets. This role defines who can access the data, sets policies around its use, and ensures it is appropriately secured and compliant with regulations. Unlike custodians or administrators who manage data operationally, the information owner has business-level authority and responsibility over the data itself.

A Database Administrator manages the technical infrastructure of databases, including performance tuning and maintenance, but is an operational role without formal accountability or authority over the data's classification or governance policies.

Quality Control is a process-focused function concerned with ensuring products or data meet defined standards, but it is not a recognized data governance role with direct responsibility or ownership over organizational data.