Entries tagged with: Privacy Act of 1974
22 result(s) displayed.
White House Launches Open Data Project
The President issued an Executive Order and memorandum this week outlining the administration's new "Open Data Policy." According to the White House, the goal is to make information "accessible, discoverable, and usable by the public" and to "promote interoperability and...
NASA Suffers More Data Breaches
NASA has announced that the theft of an unencrypted laptop has compromised the personal information of a "large number" of NASA employees and contractors. A similar theft earlier this year exposed the data of thousands of Kennedy Space Center employees....
Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board Holds First Public Meeting
The Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board held its initial meeting to take recommendations from the public regarding the issues the Board should pursue. The Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act of 2007 established the Board as an independent...
FBI Exempts Massive Database from Privacy Act Protections
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has exempted the FBI Data Warehouse System, from important Privacy Act safeguards. The database ingests troves of personally identifiable information including race, birthdate, biometric information, social security numbers, and financial information from various government agencies....
Government Accountability Office Recommends Updating Federal Privacy Laws
The Government Accountability Office issued a report finding that technological changes since the passage of the Privacy Act in 1974 require changing the law in order to adequately protect the privacy and security of personal information. Specifically, the report recommended...
Senate Committee Considers Updates to Federal Privacy Act
The Senate Oversight of Government Management Subcommittee held a hearing today on "The State of Federal Privacy and Data Security Law: Lagging Behind the Times?" The hearing focused on S.1732, the Privacy Act Modernization for the Information Age Act of...
Department of Homeland Security Exempts Massive Database from Privacy Act
The Department of Homeland Security issued a final rule exempting its Operations System from various Privacy Act safeguards, including provisions that permit individuals to access information about them held by the agency. The system "fuses" information from many sources which...
EPIC Urges the Drug Enforcement Administration to Uphold Privacy Act Protections
In response to a notice of proposed rulemaking, EPIC has submitted comments to the Drug Enforcement Administration of the Department of Justice, urging the agency to uphold Privacy Act protections, and to not claim broad exemptions from the Privacy Act....
EPIC Proposes Update to Privacy Act to Address Recent Supreme Court Decision
Following the recent decision of the Supreme Court in FAA v. Cooper, EPIC has set out proposed changes to the Privacy Act that would compensate individuals for provable nonpecuniary harms caused by willful violations of the Privacy Act. In Cooper,...
Supreme Court Limits Privacy Act Remedies
In a 5-3 opinion, the Supreme Court held today that the Privacy Act does not allow recovery of mental and emotional damages suffered as a result of the Government's "willful and intentional violation" of the Act. Justice Alito, writing for...
EPIC to Congress: Privacy Act Modernization Bill Should be Stronger
In response to a request from Senator Daniel Akaka(D-HI), EPIC sent a letter explaining that S.1732, the Privacy Act Modernization for the Information Age Act of 2011, should be strengthened to ensure better privacy protection. The Privacy Act of 1974...
Director of National Intelligence Gains New Powers, Expands Datamining of US Citizens
Under revised guidelines for the National Counterterrorism Center, the intelligence agency officials will be able to profile and track American citizens, suspected of no crime, for up to five years. The change represents a dramatic expansion of government surveillance and...
EPIC Urges DHS to Abide by Privacy Laws When Conducting Technology Research
Earlier this week, EPIC submitted comments to the DHS on "The Menlo Report: Ethical Principles Guiding Information and Communication Technology Research." DHS sought public views on the privacy implications of ethical human subject research in information and communication technology research....
EPIC Warns DHS: Plan to Release Personal Data Held by Agency is Unlawful
EPIC has submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security, objecting to the agency's plan to disclose internal agency records to former DHS employees, third party employers, and foreign and international agencies. DHS plans to disclose criminal conviction records, employee...
EPIC to DHS: Proposed Expansion of "Routine Use" Exception is Unlawful
In comments to the Department of Homeland Security regarding a proposal to expand the Privacy Act "routine use" exemption, EPIC has said that the agency is exceeding its legal authority. The DHS is seeking to disclose information about current and...
Senator Akaka Calls for Major Reform to the Privacy Act of 1974
Senator Daniel Akaka (D-HA) has introduced the Privacy Act Modernization for the Information Age (PAMIA) Act of 2011 bill (S. 1732). The PAMIA Act would update the Privacy Act of 1974, the law that regulates the collection and use of...
EPIC Urges Supreme Court to Affirm Congress' Power to Pass Effective Privacy Laws
EPIC filed a "friend of the court" brief in the United States Supreme Court urging the Court to affirm Congress' power to enact strong statutes that protect consumer privacy. First American v. Edwards presents the question of whether a person...
EPIC Urges Supreme Court to Affirm Privacy Act Remedies
EPIC filed a "friend of the court" brief in the United States Supreme Court urging the Court to enforce the rights granted under the Privacy Act, which regulates the use of personal information held by federal agencies. EPIC argued that...
EPIC Opposes Efforts of National Intelligence Director to Limit Privacy Act
EPIC has filed comments with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in response to a Federal Register notice and aproposed rulemaking to establish fourteen new databases. The DNI is seeking to exempt portions of these systems from...
Homeland Security Privacy Office Okays Suspicionless Seizure of Personal Information Stored on Digital Devices of US Citizens
The Department of Homeland Security released a Privacy Impact Assessment for searching electronic devices possessed by travelers, including US citizens, at US borders. The agency determined that laptops and cell phones are equivalent to briefcases and backpacks and granted itself...
