The primary responsibility of a data owner is to classify information. This involves determining the sensitivity and criticality of data, which guides the implementation of appropriate security controls and access permissions. Accurate classification ensures that data is protected according to its value and risk level.
While data owners may also be involved in determining data retention schedules, securing information, and administering user access, these tasks are typically shared with other roles such as data stewards, IT security teams, and system administrators. However, the foundational step of classifying information falls primarily to the data owner, as it informs all subsequent data management and protection efforts.