Assignment
You have been invited to participate in a panel presentation for a conference attended by federal government IT managers and staff. For this activity, you must prepare a 5 to 7 paragraph briefing statement which answers the following questions. Use information from the weekly readings. Go to Content >> Course Resources >> Expanded Explanation for Discussion Question Responses to learn more about the format requirements for a "briefing statement."
Definitions:
Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA): A PIA is both a process and a document. It is a process that focuses upon identifying and assessing risks related to privacy of data handled by a specific IT system or database. A PIA is also a document in which the results of the assessment are communicated to stakeholders. Some PIA's are released to the public in full while others are redacted to remove sensitive / non-public information.
1. What is privacy? Is it a right? An expectation? Discuss differing definitions, e.g. "the average person" definition vs. a legal definition, and how these differences impact risk assessments for privacy protections (or the lack thereof).
2. What are some important best practices for protecting privacy for information collected, stored, used, and transferred by the US federal government? Identify and discuss three or more best practice recommendations for reducing risk by improving or ensuring the privacy of information processed by or stored in an organization's IT systems and databases.
3. Explain why federal government agencies and departments required to complete PIA's. Must a PIA be completed for every federal IT system? Why or why not?
4. Name and briefly describe 3 benefits to citizens which result from the use of PIA's. (Considering citizen's needs for privacy and the protection of the privacy of individuals whose information is collected, processed, transmitted, and stored in federal government IT systems and databases.)
You have been asked to provide a briefing for your state legislature's Joint Committee on Cybersecurity and Information Technology as part of their "Cyber Scholars Day." The members of this committee are elected representatives of your state's government. Since this is a formal setting, your briefing statement must be written and then delivered word-for-word from the prepared statement. (Think "speech" and you'll be on the right path.) Since you are a "scholar" it would be more appropriate for you to stick to the facts and, where opinion is needed, paraphrase from or quote authorities in the field. Inclusion of your own personal opinion is permitted but should be limited.
The topic of your briefing is: Potential Privacy Issues Arising from OPEN Data initiatives for federal and state governments. In your briefing statement you must:
• Identify and discuss 3 or more specific types of OPEN Data.
• Identify and discuss 3 or more privacy issues which could arise from the collection and distribution of OPEN data.
• Recommend at least 3 safeguards or counter measures which the legislators should consider requiring of state agencies when engaging in OPEN data initiatives.
Format your assignment according to the following formatting requirements:
1. The answer should be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides.
2. The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
3. Also include a reference page. The Citations and references should follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.