Census confidentiality: Then and now

The Census Bureau protects the confidentiality of census records with fervent adherence to the law and with sensitivity to public opinion. Within this framework, the Bureau uses advanced technology to store, transmit, and tabulate data. Because of the responsible manner in which the Bureau applies the new technology, no history of computer abuses exists in connection with the decennial censuses. Our intent in planning the upcoming census is to keep that record intact. This article describes how the agency assures the confidentiality of census information and what it knows about the public's perception of census confidentiality.