OCC 2002-11
OCC Bulletin
Subject:     Notice and Request for Comment
Description: Study of Information Sharing Practices Among 
             Financial Institutions and Their Affiliates
Date:        March 15, 2002

TO:  Chief Executive Officers and Compliance Officers of 
     All National Banks and All Examining Personnel


The Secretary of the Treasury, in conjunction with the 
federal functional regulatory agencies and the Federal 
Trade Commission is conducting a study of information 
sharing by financial institutions.  The study is required 
by section 508 of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999.  To 
assist in the preparation of the study, the Department of
the Treasury published the attached notice and request 
for comments on February 15.  The notice requests comments 
on a series of questions relating to:

· Purposes for the sharing of confidential customer 
  information with affiliates or with nonaffiliated third 
  parties,
· The extent and adequacy of security protections for 
  such information,
· The potential risks for customer privacy of such sharing 
  of information,
· The potential benefits for financial institutions and 
  affiliates of such sharing of information,
· The potential benefits for customers of such sharing of
  information,
· The adequacy of existing laws to protect customer 
  privacy,
· The adequacy of financial institution privacy policy and  
  privacy rights disclosure under existing law,
· The feasibility of different approaches, including opt-
  out and opt-in, to permit customers to direct that such 
  information not be shared with affiliates and 
  nonaffiliated third parties, and
· The feasibility of restricting sharing of such 
  information for specific uses or of permitting customers 
  to direct the uses for which such information may be 
  shared.

The comment period ends April 1.  The notice designates a 
central location for receipt of comment letters.  Comments 
can be sent via e-mail to: [study.comments@ots.gov] or via 
fax to (202) 906-6518.  Comments may also be sent by mail 
to: Regulations and Legislation Division, Chief Counsel's 
Office, Office of Thrift Supervision, 1700 G Street, NW, 
Washington DC  20552, ATTN: Study on GLBA Information 
Sharing.


________________________________
David G. Hammaker
Deputy Comptroller for Compliance

Attachment:  67 FR 7213
http://www.occ.treas.gov/ftp/bulletin/2002-11a.pdf