27 June 1997
Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/aces140.html

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[Federal Register: June 27, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 124)]
[Notices]
[Page 34721]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr27jn97-96]

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OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET


Options for Promoting Privacy on the National Information
Infrastructure

AGENCY: Office of Management and Budget.

ACTION: Notice; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: On April 28, 1997, OMB announced the availability of ``Options
for Promoting Privacy on the National Information Infrastructure''
(Options Paper) on behalf of the Information Policy Committee of the
National Information Infrastructure Task Force (IITF) and requested
public comments to be submitted on or before June 27, 1997. (62 Fed.
Reg. 22978). Pursuant to public request, this notice serves to extend
the deadline for receipt of comments through July 11, 1997.
    The Options Paper results from work performed by the Privacy
Working Group and refined by the Committee. The Committee is chaired by
the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs,
Office of Management and Budget (OMB). None of the options presented
has been adopted as Administration policy; they are set forth in this
document in the belief that they are worthy of public discussion.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 11, 1997.

ELECTRONIC AVAILABILITY AND ADDRESSES: The options paper is available
electronically from the IITF site on the World Wide Web: http://
www.iitf.nist.gov/ipc/ipc-pub.html and in paper form from the OMB
Publications Office, 725 17th Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20503,
telephone: 202/395-7332, facsimile: 202/395-6137.
    Comments may be sent to the Information Policy Committee c/o the
Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and
Budget, Room 10236, Washington, D.C. 20503. Comments may also be
submitted by facsimile to 202-395-5167, or by electronic mail to
BERNSTEIN__M@A1.EOP.GOV. Comments submitted by facsimile or electronic
mail need not also be submitted by regular mail.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Maya A. Bernstein, Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, D.C. 20503. Voice telephone: 202-395-4816. Facsimile: 202-
395-5167. Electronic mail: BERNSTEIN__M@A1.EOP.GOV.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The paper describes the status of electronic
data protection and fair information practices in the United States
today, beginning with a discussion of the ``Principles for Providing
and Using Personal Information,'' issued by the Information
Infrastructure Task Force in 1995. It then provides an overview of new
information technologies, which shows that personal information is
currently collected, shared, aggregated, and disseminated at a rate and
to a degree unthinkable just a few years ago. Government is no longer
the sole possessor of extensive amounts of personal information about
U.S. citizens: in recent years the acquisition of personal information
by the private sector has increased dramatically.
    The paper next considers in more detail the laws and policies
affecting information privacy in four specific areas: government
records, communications, medical records, and the consumer market. The
paper then turns to the core question: in the context of the Global
Information Infrastructure (GII), what is the best mechanism to
implement fair information practices that balance the needs of
government, commerce, and individuals, keeping in mind both our
interest in the free flow of information and in the protection of
information privacy? At one end of the spectrum there is support for an
entirely market-based response. At the other end of the spectrum, the
federal government is encouraged to regulate fair information practices
across all sectors of the economy. In between these poles, the paper
reviews some of the myriad of options.
    In particular, the paper considers a number of options that involve
creation of a federal privacy entity. It discusses some of the many
forms that such an entity could take and considers the advantages and
disadvantages of the various choices. It also considers the functions
that such an entity might perform, as well as various options for
locating a privacy entity within the federal government.
    This paper presents a host of options for government and private
sector action. The ultimate goal is to identify the means to maintain
an optimal balance between personal privacy and freedom of information
values in the digital environment. The next step is to receive and
respond to public comment on the report in order to develop consensus
regarding the appropriate allocation of public and private sector
responsibility for implementation of fair information practices.
Sally Katzen,
Administrator, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
[FR Doc. 97-16784 Filed 6-26-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3110-01-P
