Search Results for keywords:"privacy protection"

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has announced a new matching program with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) and the Tennessee Department of Human Services. This program aims to verify the eligibility of people applying for or subscribed to the Lifeline program and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) by checking if they receive SNAP benefits in Tennessee. The initiative is expected to help confirm qualifications for these benefits, reduce fraud, and improve service to low-income consumers who rely on discounted broadband and voice services. Written comments about this program are due by March 27, 2025, and the program will last for 18 months starting from that date.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has finalized a rule that changes Regulation V of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to protect medical information in credit decisions. Previously, there was an exception allowing creditors to use medical debt information when deciding if someone qualifies for credit. With this new rule, creditors cannot use this information unless specific exceptions apply, and consumer reporting agencies are limited in what medical debt information they can share with creditors. This change aims to safeguard consumers' privacy and ensure medical information isn't wrongly used. The rule will become effective on March 17, 2024.

The Department of Commerce's Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Affairs is requesting public comments as part of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. This Act requires federal agencies to improve their data management for better policymaking. Comments are sought to guide the Advisory Committee on Data for Evidence Building on key issues such as data access, privacy protection, and data services. Responses are invited to address specific questions about the challenges and opportunities in using data for evidence-based policy, with submissions due by February 9, 2021.

The National Park Service has announced a meeting for the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park Advisory Commission, scheduled for March 20, 2025. This meeting will be held both via teleconference and in-person at the Warren County Government Center in Virginia. The public is invited to attend and interested individuals can provide input either orally or through written comments. The meeting will cover topics such as the park's management plans, visitor services, and historic preservation. All comments will be publicly available, and requests for accommodations should be made at least seven days prior to the meeting.

The National Cancer Institute is holding a closed meeting on March 9, 2021, to evaluate the personal qualifications, performance, and competence of individual investigators at the institute. This meeting, organized by the Board of Scientific Counselors, will take place virtually from 11:00 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. The meeting is not open to the public to protect the privacy of the individuals being evaluated. For more information, Brian E. Wojcik, Ph.D., can be contacted.

The National Institute on Aging is announcing a closed meeting taking place on April 24, 2025. This meeting will review and evaluate contract proposals related to AI/ML tools for behavioral and social science research. The session will be held virtually, and discussions could include sensitive information like trade secrets or personal details that require privacy protection. Janetta Lun, Ph.D., can be contacted for further information regarding this meeting.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a notice regarding an electronic system for applying for NIH Certificates of Confidentiality (CoC), which protect the privacy of human research subjects by restricting the release of identifying information. Public comments on this data collection project can be submitted within 60 days of publication. This system is designed to enhance the efficiency of processing CoC requests and has been operational since 2015, with approximately 915 requests received each year. The NIH seeks approval to continue using this system for three more years, with a total estimated annual burden of 1,373 hours for respondents.

The National Institutes of Health announced a closed meeting for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Special Emphasis Panel to review grant applications. The meeting is scheduled for April 15, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and will be conducted virtually. The meeting will be closed to the public because discussions may involve confidential information such as trade secrets and personal details that require privacy protection.

The National Institute of Nursing Research is holding two closed virtual meetings in April 2025 to review and evaluate grant applications. These meetings are not open to the public to protect confidential information and personal privacy. The first meeting will be conducted by the National Institute of Nursing Research Initial Review Group on April 16-17, 2025, while the second meeting by the Special Emphasis Panel focusing on interventions to prevent and address housing instability will take place on April 21-23, 2025. For any inquiries, individuals may contact Dr. Joshua R. Wolff or Dr. Weiqun Li, who are the designated contact persons for these meetings.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases is holding a closed meeting on February 3-4, 2024, to review contract proposals related to vaccine adjuvant development. This meeting is closed to the public to protect sensitive information like trade secrets and personal privacy. The meeting will take place via video at the NIH facility in Rockville, MD. For further details, Michael M. Opata, Ph.D., is the contact person.