Invasion of Privacy: the Case of the United States Census

Abstract

In this chapter, invasion of privacy is discussed in relation to the confidentiality of census records and to the propriety of asking the public to answer the questions. It is also desirable to differentiate among three types of data collection and compilation of the United States Bureau of the Census:

• (1) National Censuses provided for by Title 13 of the United States Code in which replies are mandatory.

• (2) Other Bureau surveys taken at more frequent intervals under the provisions of Title 13 in which the replies are voluntary; and

• (3) Surveys conducted by the Bureau for other agencies of the Federal Government under provisions of their laws, in which the Bureau is involved primarily as a collecting and compiling service.

Reprinted with the permission of the author and the publishers from Eugenics Quarterly, 14, no. 3,1967, pp. 243–6.