Data Sharing & Privacy

Fostering Responsible, Privacy-Protected Data Sharing

Federal agencies are increasingly sharing data collected from programs, surveys, or other activities with each other to generate better insights and to minimize data collection burden on the American public. Sharing such valuable information can fuel more useful, actionable insights, bolster decision-making, and eleavte the value of data as an asset. This work must work hand-in-hand with privacy standards, because the more agencies share information, the more they must regard privacy protections to guard sensitive data. Activities include: 

• Improved privacy protected access to government data, including historically restricted data where use restrictions can be examined or revisited, such as income and earnings data
• Establishment of processes to identify priority areas for adopting data and privacy standards
• Reasonable applications of privacy-enhancing technologies for sensitive or restricted data
• Legislative Priorities: Data Infrastructure Grant Program

Key Laws

National Secure Data Service Act

Press Releases and Statements

• Congress Authorizes Establishment of National Secure Data Service to Improve Data Analytics, July 28, 2022
• Data Coalition Applauds Commerce Department's Announcement of the Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence Building, November 7, 2019 

Resources

• A Blueprint for Implementing the National Secure Data Service: Initial Governance and Administrative Priorities for the National Science Foundation, June 2022, Nancy Potok and Nick Hart

• How Government Gets it Right on Privacy, January 2020, Nick Hart, Ph.D, and Jane Fountain, Ph.D.
• Privacy-Preserved Data Sharing for Evidence-Based Policy Decisions: A Demonstration Project Using Human Services Administrative Records for Evidence-Building Activities, March 2019, Nick Hart, Ph.D, Erin Dalton, M.S., and David W. Archer, Ph.D.
• Evidence-based Policy Report Calls for Secure Data Service, September 8, 2017, Carten Cordell.