Data Protection and Privacy Policy

How We Protect Your Information

The U.S. Census Bureau has an obligation to produce accurate, relevant statistics about the nation's economy and people, but we recognize that it is your information that we collect to produce these statistics.

We depend on your cooperation and trust, and promise to protect the confidentiality of your information.

Protecting your information

Federal law protects your information, and we have developed policies and statistical safeguards to help us follow the law and further ensure the confidentiality of your information. ¹

1. Federal Law

Title 13 of the U.S. Code protects the confidentiality of all your information. Violating this law is a crime with severe penalties.

2. Privacy Principles

Our Privacy Principles are guidelines that cover all of our activities. These principles encompass both our responsibilities to protect your information and your rights as a respondent. They apply to the information we collect and the statistics we publish.

3. Statistical Safeguards

Statistical methods ensure that the statistics we release do not identify individuals or businesses. These methods include extensive review and analysis of all our data products, as well as disclosure avoidance methodologies such as data suppression and modification.

We recognize the value of your trust, and we believe that when you answer our surveys we must serve as caretakers of your information. If you would like to learn more about how we fulfill this responsibility, please visit our data stewardship pages.