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Privacy Act of 1974

A federal law that regulates how U.S. government agencies collect, maintain, use, and share personal information about individuals. It gives individuals rights to access and correct their records.

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)

Any information that can identify a specific person, either directly or indirectly, or data linked to a device that can be tied to a person. Examples include names, addresses, Social Security numbers, or even device identifiers.

Process (with respect to PII)

Any action taken with personal information, such as storing it, looking at it, organizing it, using it, or changing it, whether done manually or by computers.

System of Records

A collection of personal information that a government agency controls, where information about an individual can be retrieved using their name or another identifying number.

Matching Program

A computer comparison of two or more sets of records to find individuals who are in both sets, often used by agencies to verify eligibility for benefits or detect fraud.

Data Minimization

The principle that when personal information is collected, used, or shared, agencies should only gather or disclose the absolute minimum amount of data necessary for the specific purpose.