How is a 'human subject' defined in the context of research ethics?

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The defining idea is that a human subject is a living person about whom data are obtained through direct intervention or interaction, or from whom identifiable private information is collected. This means if a study involves interacting with someone or performing procedures, or uses data that can be linked to a specific person or reveals private information about them, that person falls under human-subject protections and requires ethical oversight and informed consent. Deceased individuals and animals do not count as human subjects under this definition. Data from publicly available sources aren’t automatically considered involving a human subject unless the researcher is obtaining data through interaction or is handling identifiable private information about that person. In short, the essential criteria are living status and data obtained via intervention/interaction or identifiable private information.