Private lives and public policies : confidentiality and accessibility of government statistics / Panel on Confidentiality and Data Access [of the] Committee on National Statistics, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, National Research Council and the Social Science Research Council ; George T. Duncan, Thomas B. Jabine, and Virginia A. de Wolf, editors.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Panel on Confidentiality and Data Access (U.S.).

Contributor:

Duncan, George T.

Jabine, Thomas B.

De Wolf, Virginia A.

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on National Statistics.

Social Science Research Council (U.S.)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Privacy, Right of--United States.

Privacy, Right of.

Public records--Access control--United States.

Public records.

United States--Statistical services.

United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xiii, 274 pages)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1993.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Americans are increasingly concerned about the privacy of personal data--yet we demand more and more information for public decision making. This volume explores the seeming conflicts between privacy and data access, an issue of concern to federal statistical agencies collecting the data, research organizations using the data, and individuals providing the data. A panel of experts offers principles and specific recommendations for managing data and improving the balance between needed government use of data and the privacy of respondents. The volume examines factors such as the growth of computer technology, that are making confidentiality an increasingly critical problem. The volume explores how data collectors communicate with data providers, with a focus on informed consent to use data, and describes the legal and ethical obligations data users have toward individual subjects as well as toward the agencies providing the data. In the context of historical practices in the United States, Canada, and Sweden, statistical techniques for protecting individuals' identities are evaluated in detail. Legislative and regulatory restraints on access to data are examined, including a discussion about their effects on research. This volume will be an important and thought-provoking guide for policymakers and agencies working with statistics as well as researchers and concerned individuals.

Contents:

PRIVATE LIVES AND PUBLIC POLICIES

Copyright

Acknowledgments

Contents

Executive Summary

STUDY GOALS AND SCOPE

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

DEMOCRATIC ACCOUNTABILITY

CONSTITUTIONAL EMPOWERMENT

INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY

KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

STATUTORY PROTECTION AGAINST MANDATORY DISCLOSURE OF INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA

BARRIERS TO DATA SHARING WITHIN GOVERNMENT

ACCESS TO DATA BY NONGOVERNMENT USERS

PRIVACY CONCERNS AND DECLINING COOPERATION IN SURVEYS

STATISTICAL PROCEDURES TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY

CROSS-CUTTING RECOMMENDATIONS

1 Principles and Problems

THE TENSION BETWEEN PRIVATE LIVES AND PUBLIC POLICIES

HOW DOES THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM FUNCTION?

KEY DEFINITIONS

DATA SUBJECTS AND DATA PROVIDERS

INFORMATIONAL PRIVACY

CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA PROTECTION

INFORMED CONSENT AND NOTIFICATION

DISCLOSURE

ADMINISTRATIVE AND STATISTICAL DATA

WHAT PRINCIPLES SHOULD GUIDE STATISTICAL AGENCIES?

THE SPECIAL ROLE OF FEDERAL STATISTICAL AGENCIES

DATA ACCESS IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY

PROBLEMS IN ENSURING CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESS

DO STATISTICAL AGENCIES HAVE ADEQUATE AUTHORITY TO PROTECT DATA?

CAN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC BE IMPROVED?

ARE DATA PROVIDERS PROPERLY NOTIFIED OR INFORMED?

ARE CURRENT CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESS LAWS ADEQUATE AND APPROPRIATE?

HOW CAN NONGOVERNMENT USERS BE GIVEN ACCESS TO DATA WHILE PRESERVING CONFIDENTIALITY?

CAN INDIVIDUAL-LEVEL DATA BE PROVIDED FOR PUBLIC USE?

CAN LEGITIMATE NEEDS FOR DATA SHARING WITHIN GOVERNMENT BE MET?

STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT

NOTES

2 The Framework of Study

EVOLUTION OF THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM

EARLIER STUDIES OF PRIVACY, CONFIDENTIALITY, AND DATA ACCESS.

AMERICAN STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION AD HOC COMMITTEE ON PRIVACY ANDCONFIDENTIALITY

PRIVACY PROTECTION STUDY COMMISSION

OFFICE OF FEDERAL STATISTICAL POLICY AND STANDARDS

WHAT HAS CHANGED TO WARRANT A NEW STUDY?

ADVANCES IN COMPUTER AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

OUTSIDE RESEARCHERS

RECORD LINKAGE

ORGANIZATIONS CONCERNED WITH CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESSIBILITY

PERSUADING DATA PROVIDERS

COGNITIVE RESEARCH

NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN RESEARCH ON STATISTICAL DISCLOSURE LIMITATION

RESPONSIBILITIES OF FEDERAL STATISTICAL AGENCIES

RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE PUBLIC

RESPONSIBILITIES TO DATA PROVIDERS AND DATA SUBJECTS

RESPONSIBILITIES TO DATA USERS

RESPONSIBILITIES TO OTHER STATISTICAL AGENCIES

RESPONSIBILITIES TO CUSTODIANS OF ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS

3 Data Subjects

INTRODUCTION

HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMED CONSENT AND NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES

The Privacy Act of 1974

Professional Association Guidelines

Matching Survey and Administrative Data

Waivers

CURRENT POLICIES AND PRACTICES

MANDATORY DATA SETS: CONTROLLING INFORMATION ABOUT ONESELF

FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

RESEARCH RELATED TO CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESS

CONTROLLED SURVEY EXPERIMENTS

PUBLIC OPINION RESEARCH

PUBLIC INFORMATION ACTIVITIES OF STATISTICAL AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS

CURRENT PRACTICES

RECOMMENDATIONS

4 Data Users

BASIC CONCEPTS RELATED TO DATA ACCESS

EXPECTATIONS OF DATA USERS

BACKGROUND

Increasing Demands for Access

Meeting User Needs: Successes and Failures

Factors that Affect Agency Decisions on Access

User Influence on Agency Decisions

Data Sharing Within Government

Access to Data by Nongovernment Users.

LEGAL AND ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES OF DATA USERS

Legal Responsibilities of Users

Ethical Responsibilities of Users

5 Legislation

GENERAL REGULATION OF FEDERAL STATISTICAL AND RESEARCH RECORDS

THE PRIVACY ACT

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT

AGENCY-SPECIFIC LEGISLATION

BUREAU OF THE CENSUS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS

NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS

INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE

AGENCIES LACKING EXPLICIT STATUTORY PROTECTION OF ESTABLISHMENT DATA

NEW STATISTICAL AGENCIES

6 Technical and Administrative Procedures

RESTRICTED DATA: STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR PROTECTING CONFIDENTIALITY

DISCLOSURE RISK AND STATISTICAL DISCLOSURE LIMITATION TECHNIQUES

SELECTED STATISTICAL DISCLOSURE LIMITATION PRACTICES OF FEDERAL STATISTICAL AGENCIES

Procedures Used for Tables

Procedures for Microdata Files

THE IMPACT OF IMPROVED COMPUTER AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY

RECENT RESEARCH ON DISCLOSURE LIMITATION

Systematic Frameworks

Papers Commissioned by the Panel

Shielding Organizational Data

RESTRICTED ACCESS: ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES TO PROTECT CONFIDENTIALITY

INTERAGENCY DATA SHARING

Examples of Interagency Data Sharing

Discussion

EXTERNAL DATA USERS

Examples of Restricted Access by External Data Users

Examples of Failure to Gain Access

ARCHIVING FEDERAL STATISTICAL DATA SETS

RESTRICTED ACCESS: FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

7 Statistical Data on Organizations

TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DATA ON PERSONS AND DATA ON ORGANIZATIONS

Legislation

Other Differences

CONTENT OF CHAPTER.

THE ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION VS. THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE: A FURTHER EROSION OF FUNCTIONAL SEPARATION

DISCUSSION

Is EIA a Statistical Agency?

Did EIA Mislead Respondents?

Is the EIA's Problem Unique?

INABILITY TO SHARE BUSINESS LISTS: AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM

PRACTICES IN OTHER COUNTRIES

WAIVERS: WHOSE INFORMATION IS IT?

EXAMPLES

USER ACCESS: GETTING A BETTER RETURN ON INVESTMENTS IN ECONOMIC STATISTICS

8 Managing Confidentiality and Data Access Functions

MANAGEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESS QUESTIONS IN THE FEDERAL STATISTICAL SYSTEM

WITHIN STATISTICAL AGENCIES

ACROSS STATISTICAL AGENCIES

THE INFLUENCE OF PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

ALTERNATIVE MODELS FOR MANAGING CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESS QUESTIONS: A LOOK AT OTHER COUNTRIES

U.S. PROPOSALS FOR AN INDEPENDENT PRIVACY PROTECTION BOARD

AGENCY STAFFING AND MANAGEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA ACCESS FUNCTIONS

INTERAGENCY COORDINATION

DATA PROTECTION BOARD

Recommendations

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 6

CHAPTER 7

CHAPTER 8

References

Appendix A Study Procedures

PANEL ORGANIZATION AND ACTIVITIES

CASE STUDIES

LONGITUDINAL RETIREMENT HISTORY WORKSHOP

WORKSHOP ON CONFIDENTIALITY OF AND ACCESS TO DOCTORATE RECORDS

WORKSHOP ON CONFIDENTIALITY OF AND ACCESS TO NATIONAL CENTER FOR EDUCATION STATISTICS DATA

INFORMATION GATHERING

REQUEST FOR DOCUMENTATION

INVITATION FOR COMMENTS

CONFERENCE ON DISCLOSURE LIMITATION APPROACHES AND DATA ACCESS

COMMISSIONED PAPERS

Attachment 1

I.

II.

Attachment 2.

Appendix B Biographical Sketches

Index.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 229-241) and index.

ISBN:

9786610196357

9781280196355

1280196351

9780309576116

0309576113

9780585002453

0585002452

OCLC:

697788453