Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2001 12:59:41 -0500 From: freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor) Subject: Is the Government a Threat to Medical Privacy? To: freematt@coil.com (Matthew Gaylor)
http://freedom.gov/library/technology/govtshare.asp
Is the Government a Threat to Medical Privacy? March 13, 2001
House Majority Leader Dick Armey said that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) should consider the government's own information practices when they hold a workshop today on the private sector's use and exchange of consumer data.
According to a report released yesterday by the privacy think-tank Privacilla, there has been an alarming increase in the amount of personal information that federal agencies collect and share with one another. These federal agencies have a poor track record of protecting sensitive information.
"If the government is going to monitor the information sharing practices of the private sector, I'd like to know who's going to monitor the government," said Armey.
According to the report entitled "Government Exchange and Merger of Citizens' Personal Information is Systematic and Routine," when an individual submits information to one federal agency, that agency will often share that information with other federal agencies. This sharing often takes place without the knowledge or consent of the individuals involved. The report, available online at http://www.privacilla.org, cites 47 specific instances where federal agencies announced their intent to exchange personal dta and combine it into their own databases.
"When Big Brother is keeping tabs on you, it's natural to be a little concerned," said Armey. "But it's even worse when the government can't protect sensitive information from prying eyes."
Last year, a House Government Reform Subcommittee investigation found the federal government's computer security so lax that it merited a "D-" grade overall. The Inspector General for the Department of Veterans' Affairs admitted last year that sensitive medical records were left wide-open to hackers armed with only the most basic skills. A General Accounting Office study further found that both the FTC and the government as a whole failed to live up to the privacy standards that the FTC asked Congress to impose on the private sector.
"We need to be careful when the government becomes involved with regulating electronic commerce," said Armey. "I think it's important to get our own act together before dictating standards to the private sector."
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