diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_tools.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_tools.py
index 26f1ccd1f3..0141ac9e83 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_tools.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/tests/test_tools.py
@@ -458,3 +458,39 @@ class TestStudentFromIdentifier(TestCase):
         """Test with invalid identifier"""
         with pytest.raises(User.DoesNotExist):
             assert tools.get_student_from_identifier("invalid")
+
+
+class TestProfilePrivacy(TestCase):
+    '''
+    Tests utility function for stripping a feature from the list of features to be reported on
+    '''
+    def test_no_feature_list_supplied(self):
+        '''
+        Missing first argument raises an exception
+        '''
+        with pytest.raises(tools.DashboardError):
+            assert tools.keep_field_private(None, "bogus_field_name")
+
+    def test_no_privacy_feature_supplied(self):
+        '''
+        Missing second argument raises an exception
+        '''
+        with pytest.raises(tools.DashboardError):
+            assert tools.keep_field_private(["bogus_field1", "bogus_field2"], None)
+
+    def test_feature_supplied_and_stripped(self):
+        '''
+        Request to strip a feature in feature list succeeds
+        '''
+        query_fields = ['Name', 'Address', 'Secret']
+        assert 'Secret' in query_fields
+        tools.keep_field_private(query_fields, 'Secret')
+        assert 'Secret' not in query_fields
+
+    def test_feature_absent_and_exception_consumed(self):
+        '''
+        Request to strip a feature not in feature list is a silent no-op
+        '''
+        query_fields = ['Name', 'Address']
+        tools.keep_field_private(query_fields, 'Secret')
+        assert len(query_fields) == 2
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/api.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/api.py
index c83af8e1a4..ed3a733a0e 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/api.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/api.py
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ from .tools import (
     find_unit,
     get_student_from_identifier,
     handle_dashboard_error,
+    keep_field_private,
     parse_datetime,
     require_student_from_identifier,
     set_due_date_extension,
@@ -1430,6 +1431,7 @@ def get_students_features(request, course_id, csv=False):  # pylint: disable=red
             'year_of_birth', 'gender', 'level_of_education', 'mailing_address',
             'goals', 'enrollment_mode', 'last_login', 'date_joined', 'external_user_key'
         ]
+    keep_field_private(query_features, 'year_of_birth')  # protected information
 
     # Provide human-friendly and translatable names for these features. These names
     # will be displayed in the table generated in data_download.js. It is not (yet)
@@ -1441,7 +1443,7 @@ def get_students_features(request, course_id, csv=False):  # pylint: disable=red
         'email': _('Email'),
         'language': _('Language'),
         'location': _('Location'),
-        'year_of_birth': _('Birth Year'),
+        #  'year_of_birth': _('Birth Year'),  treated as privileged information as of TNL-10683, not to go in reports
         'gender': _('Gender'),
         'level_of_education': _('Level of Education'),
         'mailing_address': _('Mailing Address'),
diff --git a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/tools.py b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/tools.py
index b660a544ef..5a62f705f5 100644
--- a/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/tools.py
+++ b/lms/djangoapps/instructor/views/tools.py
@@ -256,3 +256,17 @@ def dump_student_extensions(course, student):
         "title": _("Due date extensions for {0} {1} ({2})").format(
             student.first_name, student.last_name, student.username),
         "data": data}
+
+
+def keep_field_private(query_features, field_name):
+    '''
+    Utility to remove a field from a list of field names requested of a report
+    Keeps the specified field_name private (excluded from report)
+    '''
+    if (query_features is None) or (field_name is None):
+        raise DashboardError("Missing private field specification")
+
+    try:
+        query_features.remove(field_name)
+    except ValueError:
+        pass