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Written by: George M. Cook, Performing the Duties of the Director
In June, the Department of Commerce released Department Administrative Order (DAO) 216-26, titled “Disclosure Avoidance for Statistical Products.” This order established new policies around how we protect the confidentiality of individuals and organizations when we publish statistics.
The Census Bureau has always faced a challenge: how to publish useful statistics while protecting the confidentiality of the data and the people behind the numbers. In recent years, including after the 2020 Census, we used a technique called differentially private noise infusion. This method adds random “noise” – data additions or subtractions – to data to make it harder to identify individuals.
While this approach was meant to protect confidentiality, it led to concerns that adding noise made the statistics less accurate and less trustworthy. The new policies – developed by the Department in conjunction with the Office of the Undersecretary for Economic Affairs and with technical guidance from the U.S. Census Bureau – aim to address these concerns. The order is clear: the top priority is to provide the public with accurate statistical information.
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About the Census Bureau
We serve as the nation’s leading provider of quality data about its people and economy. The Census Bureau is the federal government's largest statistical agency. As the world’s premier statistical agency, we are dedicated to making our nation a better place. Policy-makers, businesses, and the public use our data to make informed decisions.
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