Disclosure Prevention
The U.S. Census Bureau Oath of Nondisclosure
I will not disclose any information contained in the schedules, lists, or statements obtained for or prepared by the Bureau of the Census to any person or persons either during or after employment. (Under federal law, the penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of not more than $250,000 or imprisonment for not more than 5 years or both.)
The U.S. Census Bureau Safeguards Your Information
Federal Law Protects your Data and It is against the law to disclose any data that identifies an individual person or household no names…no addresses…no social security numbers…no telephone numbers. Every person with access to information is sworn for life to protect confidentiality – violating the law is a federal crime with serious penalties that could include a prison sentence of up to 5 years, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. The Census Bureau uses your information to produce statistics; your personal information cannot be used against you by any government agency or court.
Additional Resources
Federal Statistical Research Data Center Disclosure Avoidance Methods: A Handbook for Researchers Version 5.0 – This document explains disclosure avoidance review methods for commonly requested output from empirical researchers working with internal Census Bureau data.
Federal Committee on Statistical Methodology– This site contains information on FCSM activities, and links to information on confidentiality and disclosure analysis, including conferences and working groups.
American Statistical Association Committee on Privacy and Confidentiality– This site contains information on committee activities, and links to information on confidentiality and disclosure analysis, including conferences and working groups.