Informed Consent in the Age of Cybersecurity: Testing Messages and Questions and Exploring Perceptions of Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security

The U.S. Census Bureau’s mission is to serve as the leading source of quality data about our country's people and economy. The success of our programs depends on the public’s perception of the Census Bureau as a credible and reliable protector of individuals’ personal information. Our survey and census programs follow informed consent procedures as required by federal laws and regulations and our own policies. An important part of our mission is to communicate clearly to respondents how their data will be used and protected.

Researchers from the Census Bureau have conducted numerous studies to test messages that communicate security procedures without alarming respondents unnecessarily, and survey questions intended to quantify respondents’ perceptions of sensitivity and risk with regard to data requested by government surveys and censuses. This presentation will highlight findings from studies in which various types of messages and questions were tested to provide insights into respondents’ perceptions of privacy and security in the context of government statistical collections.