[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 192 (Friday, October 3, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51828-51829]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26208]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of the Census


The 1998 Study of Privacy Attitudes (SPA)

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce, as part of its continuing effort 
to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public 
and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on 
proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the 
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)).

DATES: Written comments must be submitted on or before December 2, 
1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Linda Engelmeier, 
Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Department of Commerce, Room 
5327, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of the information collection instrument(s) should be directed 
to Randall Neugebauer, Bureau of the Census, Room 3587-3 (Room SFC-2 
1001 after October 10, 1997), Washington, DC 20233, (301) 457-3952.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

    The Census Bureau is interested in privacy issues for several 
reasons. Most notable is the steady decline in response rates to the 
Census Bureau's mailed questionnaire in recent decennial censuses, 
which may reflect the growing apathy toward and mistrust of the Federal 
government. With the recent growth and popularity of the Internet and 
world wide web, the issues of access to individual data and lack of 
data security have come to the forefront, adding to the notion that 
individual privacy is eroding away. A clear understanding of the 
public's beliefs regarding the Census Bureau and its practices may help 
decennial census planners offset the trend in declining responses 
rates, address new methods to acquire data, improve our ability to 
communicate privacy and confidentiality messages, and improve our 
ability to predict and effectively respond to negative publicity. The 
purpose of the 1998 Study of Privacy Attitudes (SPA) is to assess the 
public's attitudes at two mutually exclusive levels--one being national 
in scope and the other, two Census 2000 Dress Rehearsal (C2DR) sites.
    The national study of privacy attitudes is a repeat of a survey 
conducted in 1995 by the Joint Program in Statistical Methods (JPSM) of 
the University of Maryland and the 1996 Study of Public Attitudes 
Toward Administrative Records Use (SPARU). The goals for conducting a 
national study of privacy attitudes in 1998 are:


[[Page 51829]]


--Determine the public's opinion of the Federal government and the 
Census Bureau in general, the Census Bureau's privacy and 
confidentiality policies, and the extent to which the Census Bureau 
adheres to its own privacy guidelines.
--Assess change in the public's attitudes on privacy-related issues 
using results from the 1995 JPSM, 1996 SPARU, and the 1998 SPA.
--Determine the public's opinion of the Census Bureau's expanded use of 
administrative records and possible interest in collecting SSNs in the 
future and the notion of an ``administrative records census.'' [As an 
alternative methodology for 2010, an administrative records census 
design will be experimented with during Census 2000.]
--Determine the public's opinion of the Census Bureau adopting and 
communicating fair information use principles.

    The C2DR component of the 1998 SPA will compare privacy beliefs in 
areas prior to and after being ``sensitized'' to the census. The C2DR 
component will target a sample of households in the Sacramento, 
California and Columbia, South Carolina C2DR sites. Comparing results 
between the pre- and post-measurement samples will help determine if 
becoming sensitized to a census (through the paid advertizing campaign 
and other promotion and outreach programs) has a significant effect on 
privacy attitudes. The objectives of the C2DR component are noted 
above, but also includes:

--Based on a pre- and post-measurement of sampled households in the 
dress rehearsal sites, assess variability in the public's attitudes on 
privacy-related issues.

    Understanding how the public defines privacy and how the public 
understands the Census Bureau's confidentiality language and practices 
is important information as privacy-related principles and policy are 
developed. Two broad observations stem from comparing the 1995 JPSM and 
1996 SPARU: first, there was little change in attitudes towards data 
sharing and secondly, in 1996 there was less trust in government, 
greater concerns about privacy, and a greater feeling of helplessness 
in politically effecting change. The surveys of the 1998 SPA will add 
significant results to what we have already learned.

II. Method of Collection

    A contractor will conduct the national survey with telephone 
interviewing using an automated survey instrument and a list-assisted 
random digit dialing (RDD) sampling design. The RDD methodology will 
incorporate a number of peripheral survey techniques that have shown to 
raise response rates. Given concerns of the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB) with the trend of declining response rates with and bias 
in general of RDD surveys, the Census Bureau assessed (by contract) the 
effectiveness of response rate remedies, the appropriateness of 
applying RDD methodology in collecting privacy attitudinal data, and 
the nature and extent of bias from under coverage and nonresponse. By 
applying results and recommendations from the research to the 1998 SPA, 
the Census Bureau will collect good data with a maximal response rate 
and minimal bias that maintains comparability with the 1995 JPSM and 
1996 SPARU. The pre-and post-surveys of the C2DR component will be 
administered by telephone to a random sample of households from the 
Census Bureau's master address file and will entail some degree of 
personal visit interviews as well.

III. Data

    OMB Number: Not available.
    Form Numbers: The automated survey instrument will not have a form 
number.
    Type of Review: Emergency submission.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 3,000.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 15 minutes.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 750.
    Estimated Total Annual Cost: The only cost to the respondents in 
participating is that of their time.
    Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.
    Legal Authority: Title 13 United States Code, Section 193.

IV. Request for Comments

    Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of 
information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of 
the agency, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
(including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; 
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on respondents, including through the use of 
automated collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information 
collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

    Dated: September 29, 1997.
Wilson D. Haigler, Jr.,
Acting Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office of Management and 
Organization.
[FR Doc. 97-26208 Filed 10-2-97; 8:45am]
BILLING CODE 3510-07-P