ERIC Number: ED275349
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1986-Aug
Pages: 62
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Privacy Act. Federal Agencies' Implementation Can Be Improved. Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Government Information, Justice, and Agriculture, Committee on Government Operations, House of Representatives.
General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.
In order to examine the implementation of the Privacy Act of 1974 by federal government agencies, the General Accounting Office (GAO) examined organizational issues at 13 cabinet-level departments and the Veterans Administration and reviewed Privacy Act operations in detail at 6 of these agencies and 37 of their components. This study focused on how the agencies have (1) organized their Privacy Act activities, and (2) followed selected provisions of the Act and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidelines. GAO found that agencies have taken highly decentralized approaches to implementing the law, and often have not established clear lines of responsibility and accountability for Privacy Act functions. As a result of the study, GAO made a number of recommendations to the OMB for improvement in oversight, agency evaluation, and certain OMB guidelines pertaining to such activities as computer matching programs. Supporting material is provided in three tables and three appendices; a glossary is also included. (KM)
Descriptors: Access to Information, Automation, Compliance (Legal), Disclosure, Federal Government, Federal Regulation, Information Dissemination, Information Storage, Information Systems, Legislation, Privacy, Public Agencies, Recordkeeping
General Accounting Office, PO Box 6015, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 (first 5 copies free, additional copies, $2.00 each).
Publication Type: Legal/Legislative/Regulatory Materials; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: Policymakers
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: General Accounting Office, Washington, DC.
Identifiers - Laws, Policies, & Programs: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 1974; Privacy Act 1974
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A