15274 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2022 / Notices 

Advisory Committee Meetings dated 

April 15, 2016. 

Dated: March 14, 2022. 

Samuel Roth, 

Attorney-Advisor, National Endowment for 

the Humanities. 

[FR Doc. 2022–05652 Filed 3–16–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7536–01–P 

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

Request for Information on Federal 

Priorities for Information Integrity 

Research and Development 

AGENCY: Networking and Information 

Technology Research and Development 

(NITRD) National Coordination Office 

(NCO) and National Science Foundation 

(NSF). 

ACTION: Request for information. 

SUMMARY: The NITRD NCO and the 

NSF, as part of an interagency working 

group on information integrity, request 

input from interested parties on a range 

of questions pertaining to Federal 

priorities for research and development 

efforts to address misinformation and 

disinformation. The purpose of this RFI 

is to understand ways in which the 

Federal Government might enable 

research and development activities to 

advance the trustworthiness of 

information, mitigate the effects of 

information manipulation, and foster an 

environment of trust and resilience in 

which individuals can be discerning 

consumers of information. 

DATES: Interested persons or 

organizations are invited to submit 

comments on or before 11:59 p.m. (EST) 

on May 15, 2022. 

ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in 

response to this notice may be sent by 

the following methods: 

• Email: IIRD-RFI@nitrd.gov. Email 

submissions should be machinereadable and not be copy-protected. 

Submissions should include ‘‘RFI 

Response: Information Integrity R&D’’ in 

the subject line of the message. 

• Mail: Attn: Tomas Vagoun, NCO, 

2415 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, 

VA 22314, USA. 

Instructions: Response to this RFI is 

voluntary. Each individual or 

organization is requested to submit only 

one response. Submissions must not 

exceed 10 pages in 12 point or larger 

font, with a page number provided on 

each page. Responses should include 

the name of the person(s) or 

organization(s) filing the comment. 

Responses to this RFI may be posted 

online at https://www.nitrd.gov. 

Therefore, no business proprietary 

information, copyrighted information, 

or other personally identifiable 

information should be submitted in 

response to this RFI. 

In accordance with FAR 15.202(3), 

responses to this notice are not offers 

and cannot be accepted by the 

Government to form a binding contract. 

Responders are solely responsible for all 

expenses associated with responding to 

this RFI. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Tomas Vagoun at IIRD-RFI@nitrd.gov or 

202–459–9685, or by post mailing to 

NCO, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue, 

Alexandria, VA 22314, USA. 

Individuals who use a 

telecommunications device for the deaf 

(TDD) may call the Federal Information 

Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339 

between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., ET, Monday 

through Friday. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background: Accurate and reliable 

information is central to our Nation’s 

democratic, economic, geopolitical, and 

security interests, guiding decisions that 

impact the well-being of society. 

Information that is, knowingly or 

unknowingly, manipulated and 

disseminated for political, ideological, 

or commercial gain can have 

destabilizing consequences for 

democratic processes, the economy, 

individual health and well-being, the 

environment, local and national crisis 

response efforts, human rights and 

protections, and national security. New 

technological advances have enabled 

manipulated information [1] to reach 

vast audiences around the world at an 

unprecedented speed. Thus, preserving 

the integrity of information—ensuring 

our society is protected against 

information manipulation—is of 

national importance. 

As announced by the White House 

[2], Federal Government agencies have 

formed the Information Integrity 

Research and Development Interagency 

Working Group (IIRD IWG) to develop a 

strategic plan concerning governmentwide research and development. The 

purposes of IIRD IWG are to better 

understand the full information 

ecosystem, to design strategies for 

preserving information integrity and 

mitigating the effects of information 

manipulation, to support information 

awareness and education, and to foster 

a multi-disciplinary and collaborative 

research environment in which to reach 

deeper understanding, while upholding 

these information integrity goals. 

Information Requested: Protecting the 

integrity of the information ecosystem 

requires an understanding of: Actors 

and consumers of information 

(including individuals, organizations, 

and nation states) and their different 

capabilities, actions, plans, and 

intentions; strategies and technologies 

for creating, disseminating, and sharing 

manipulated information; solutions for 

detecting and mitigating information 

manipulation across a wide range of 

information media, forms, and 

communication modalities; social, 

psychological, and physiological 

responses to experiencing information 

manipulation; ways to increase public 

awareness of information manipulation; 

the societal benefits of accurate 

information and vibrant discussion; and 

protections of the First Amendment. 

The IIRD IWG seeks public input on 

Federal priorities for information 

integrity research and development 

(R&D). Responders are asked to answer 

one or more of the following questions: 

1. Understanding the information 

ecosystem: There are many components, 

interactions, incentives, social, 

psychological, physiological, and 

technological aspects, and other 

considerations that can be used to 

effectively characterize the information 

ecosystem. What are the key research 

challenges in providing a common 

foundation for understanding 

information manipulation within this 

complex information ecosystem? 

2. Preserving information integrity 

and mitigating the effects of information 

manipulation: Strategies for protecting 

information integrity must integrate the 

best technical, social, behavioral, 

cultural, and equitable approaches. 

These strategies should accomplish a 

range of objectives including to detect 

information manipulation, discern the 

influence mechanisms and the targets of 

the influence activities, mitigate 

information manipulation, assess how 

individuals and organizations are likely 

to respond, and build resiliency against 

information manipulation. What are the 

key gaps in knowledge or capabilities 

that research should focus on, in order 

to advance these objectives? What are 

the gaps in knowledge regarding the 

differential impact of information 

manipulation and mitigations on 

different demographic groups? 

3. Information awareness and 

education: A key element of information 

integrity is to foster resilient and 

empowered individuals and institutions 

that can identify and abate manipulated 

information and create and utilize 

trustworthy information. What issues 

should research focus on to understand 

the barriers to greater public awareness 

of information manipulation? What 

challenges should research focus on to 

support the development of effective 

educational pathways? 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 52 / Thursday, March 17, 2022 / Notices 15275 

4. Barriers for research: Information 

integrity is a complex and 

multidisciplinary problem with many 

technical, social, and policy challenges 

that requires the sharing of expertise, 

data, and practices across the full 

spectrum of stakeholders, both 

domestically and internationally. What 

are the key barriers for conducting 

information integrity R&D? How could 

those barriers be remedied? 

5. Transition to practice: How can the 

Federal government foster the rapid 

transfer of information integrity R&D 

insights and results into practice, for the 

timely benefit of stakeholders and 

society? 

6. Relevant activities: What other 

research and development strategies, 

plans, or activities, domestic or in other 

countries, including in multi-lateral 

organizations and within the private 

sector, should inform the U.S. Federal 

information integrity R&D strategic 

plan? 

7. Support for technological 

advancement: How can the Federal 

information integrity R&D strategic plan 

support the White House Office of 

Science and Technology Policy’s 

mission: 

• Ensuring the United States leads the 

world in technologies that are critical to 

our economic prosperity and national 

security; and 

• maintaining the core values behind 

America’s scientific leadership, 

including openness, transparency, 

honesty, equity, fair competition, 

objectivity, and democratic values. 

References 

[1] ‘‘Manipulated information’’ refers to 

information content that is inaccurate, 

misleading, or deceptive within the context 

of its intended use and that has the effect 

of causing harm to individuals, 

communities, or institutions. ‘‘Information 

manipulation’’ refers to activities that aim 

to influence specific or multiple audiences 

through disinformation, misinformation, 

malinformation, propaganda, manipulated 

media, and other tactics and techniques 

that intentionally create or disseminate 

inaccurate, misleading, or unreliable 

information. 

[2] FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris 

Administration is Taking Action to Restore 

and Strengthen American Democracy 

(December 8, 2021), The White House, 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefingroom/statements-releases/2021/12/08/factsheet-the-biden-harris-administration-istaking-action-to-restore-and-strengthenamerican-democracy/. 

Submitted by the National Science 

Foundation in support of the Networking and 

Information Technology Research and 

Development (NITRD) National Coordination 

Office (NCO) on March 14, 2022. 

(Authority: 42 U.S.C. 1861.) 

Suzanne H. Plimpton, 

Reports Clearance Officer, National Science 

Foundation. 

[FR Doc. 2022–05683 Filed 3–16–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 7555–01–P 

POSTAL SERVICE 

Privacy Act of 1974; System of 

Records 

AGENCY: Postal ServiceTM. 

ACTION: Notice of modified systems of 

records. 

SUMMARY: The United States Postal 

Service® (Postal Service) is proposing to 

revise a Customer Privacy Act System of 

Records (SOR). These modifications are 

being made to store, send, and host 

emails for Informed Delivery on a cloudbased platform. 

DATES: These revisions will become 

effective without further notice on April 

18, 2022, unless in response to 

comments received on or before that 

date result in a contrary determination. 

ADDRESSES: Comments may be 

submitted via email to the Privacy and 

Records Management Office, United 

States Postal Service Headquarters 

(privacy@usps.gov). To facilitate public 

inspection, arrangements to view copies 

of any written comments received will 

be made upon request. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Janine Castorina, Chief Privacy and 

Records Management Officer, Privacy 

and Records Management Office, 202– 

268–3069 or privacy@usps.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

notice is in accordance with the Privacy 

Act requirement that agencies publish 

their systems of records in the Federal 

Register when there is a revision, 

change, or addition, or when the agency 

establishes a new system of records. The 

Postal Service has determined that 

Customer Privacy Act System of 

Records, USPS 820.300 Informed 

Delivery, should be revised to support 

the migration of emails to a cloud-based 

platform. 

I. Background 

The Postal Service has determined 

that Customer Privacy Act Systems of 

Records (SOR), USPS 820.300 Informed 

Delivery, should be revised to store, 

send, and host emails for Informed 

Delivery on a cloud-based platform. 

II. Rationale for Changes to USPS 

Privacy Act Systems of Records 

The Postal Service constantly seeks to 

improve efficiency and customer 

satisfaction. To that end, the Postal 

Service seeks to implement a new 

hosting service for Informed Delivery 

Daily Digest emails through the cloud, 

replacing the current on-premises 

solutions. 

III. Description of the Modified System 

of Records 

To implement the change to a cloudbased platform, this System of Records 

will be modified to include several new 

categories of records, numbered 11 

through 21, to identify data elements 

associated with Daily Digest emails 

which will be collected and stored as 

part of this migration. In addition, a new 

purpose has been added to identify this 

new process. Finally, a retention period 

for the records generated in association 

with these activities has been added. 

Pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a (e)(11), 

interested persons are invited to submit 

written data, views, or arguments on 

this proposal. A report of the proposed 

revisions has been sent to Congress and 

to the Office of Management and Budget 

for their evaluations. The Postal Service 

does not expect this amended system of 

records to have any adverse effect on 

individual privacy rights. The notice for 

USPS SOR 820.300, Informed Delivery 

is provided below in its entirety, as 

follows: 

SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER 

USPS 820.300, Informed Delivery. 

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION: 

None. 

SYSTEM LOCATION: 

USPS Headquarters; Contractor Sites; 

Cloud-based Contractor Sites; WilkesBarre Solutions Center; and Eagan, MN. 

SYSTEM MANAGER(S): 

Vice President, Innovative Business 

Technology, United States Postal 

Service, 475 L’Enfant Plaza SW, 

Washington, DC 20260–1010. 

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM: 

39 U.S.C. 401, 403, and 404. 

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM: 

1. To support the Informed Delivery®

notification service which provides 

customers with electronic notification of 

physical mail that is intended for 

delivery at the customer’s address. 

2. To provide daily email 

communication to consumers with 

images of the letter-size mailpieces that 

they can expect to be delivered to their 

mailbox each day. 

3. To provide an enhanced customer 

experience and convenience for mail 

delivery services by linking physical 

mail to electronic content. 


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