Public Data, Public Concern: Rethinking Government Accountability in the Digital Age

Recent research published by the Center for Democracy & Technology shows that 74 percent of Americans are concerned about the privacy and security of their personal data that is held by the government. Given these concerns, almost eight in ten people across the U.S. agree that Congress should use its authority to hold the government accountable when it ignores existing privacy laws. These findings together highlight the need for federal and state policymakers to heed their constituents’ concerns and take steps to safeguard individuals’ sensitive information from overreach and misuse.

This panel brings together experts on government data privacy to discuss what those steps should be, and the importance of having guardrails around how public agencies collect and use peoples’ personal data. Experts on the panel will draw directly from their experiences with government agencies and provide advice about how public administrators should ensure their constituents’ personal data is protected.