Overview
Title
Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records
Agencies
ELI5 AI
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has made a new plan to keep everyone safe if there are health emergencies, like when people get sick during a pandemic. They will use some information from people visiting their places to help make sure no one else gets sick.
Summary AI
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) has established a new system of records called the CFPB.029, Public Health and Safety System. This system, created under the Privacy Act of 1974, is designed to collect and manage information necessary for maintaining a safe and healthy environment during public health emergencies, like pandemics or other incidents. It will include data from individuals who access CFPB facilities or events to trace possible exposures to pathogens or hazardous materials. This system aims to protect all those at CFPB locations and to ensure compliance with relevant health and safety laws and regulations.
Abstract
The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB or Bureau) is establishing CFPB.029, Public Health and Safety System, a system of records under the Privacy Act of 1974. This system of records maintains information collected in response to a public health emergency or similar health and safety incident, such as a pandemic, epidemic, or man-made emergency, that is necessary to ensure a safe and healthy environment for individuals who are occupying CFPB facilities, attending CFPB-sponsored events, or otherwise engaged in official business on behalf of the Bureau.
Keywords AI
Sources
AnalysisAI
The document announces the establishment of a new system of records called the CFPB.029, Public Health and Safety System, created by the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB). This system is guided by the Privacy Act of 1974 and is intended to collect and manage information related to ensuring a safe and healthy environment during public health emergencies. It includes maintaining records necessary for identifying potential exposures to pathogens or hazardous materials for individuals accessing CFPB facilities or events.
Significant Issues and Concerns
One key issue arises from the document's vagueness regarding the specific types of personal information that will be collected. Such lack of detail could lead to concerns about privacy and the extent of information gathering. Furthermore, the document indicates that records will be maintained indefinitely until a formal records disposition schedule is approved by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). This indefinite retention could cause discomfort for individuals worried about their personal data being held for an unspecified period.
The document is also quite lengthy and filled with technical jargon, potentially making it challenging for average readers to fully understand the information and implications. Moreover, the outlined routine uses for the collected data involve sharing with various agencies and entities, raising questions regarding privacy and the potential for extensive information sharing.
Broader Public Impact
The creation of the CFPB.029 system reflects a commitment to maintaining safety during health crises, which may reassure the public about safety protocols during pandemics or similar events. However, the protocol for extensive data collection and retention may spark concern about privacy and information security among the broader population.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
For CFPB employees, visitors, and occupants of Bureau facilities, this system represents an effort to ensure safety, offering potential reassurance during public health emergencies. However, it may also result in increased scrutiny and data collection, which could be unsettling to some.
Organizations responsible for maintaining public health will potentially benefit from improved data coordination, which could enhance response efficacy during health crises. Yet, this requires balancing privacy concerns with the need for comprehensive safety measures.
Despite providing multiple avenues for public comment, the discouragement of mail submissions due to the pandemic could limit input from individuals lacking reliable internet access, thus affecting equitable participation in the comment process.
In summary, the CFPB's establishment of this system faces the challenge of balancing the necessity of ensuring public health safety with maintaining individuals' privacy rights. Clear communication about data practices and addressing concerns over prolonged data retention could help alleviate some public apprehensions.
Issues
• The document does not specify the precise types of personal information to be collected, which might concern individuals about the extent of data being gathered.
• It mentions that records will be maintained indefinitely until the CFPB's records disposition schedule is approved by NARA, which could raise concerns about data privacy and the need for an explicitly defined retention period.
• The document is quite lengthy and uses technical language, which might be challenging for the average reader to fully comprehend.
• The document details numerous routine uses of collected records, which could raise concerns regarding privacy and the degree of information sharing with other parties.
• In the context of public health and safety, there might be concerns about the balance between privacy rights and public health measures, especially concerning what constitutes appropriate information to be collected.
• The document suggests multiple possible avenues for submission of comments but discourages mail submissions due to the pandemic, potentially limiting input from those without reliable internet access.