Fergie's Tech Blog

DHS exec stresses privacy

David Perera writes on FCW.com:

Writing protections for civil liberties and civil rights into the business rules of federal information sharing projects is a necessary step to ensure their viability, a top government official said last week.

"We in America have an expectation of personal privacy," said Richard Russell, Homeland Security Department director of information sharing and collaboration. Russell spoke during a panel of the annual Management of Change conference in Philadelphia.

Much of the data government entities need to share is available from commercial sources, Russell noted. Car dealers can reasonably predict when you might buy your next new car and what models you’d probably purchase -- down to the color you’re likely to select -- all based on public information, Russell said.

But unlike car dealers, the government can put people in jail, "and that's where people get very nervous and very concerned," Russell said.

posted by Fergie @ 6/02/2005 12:59:00 PM