Privacy is one of the most pressing concerns of the American public.
As the representative of over 335,000 individual members of the accounting profession who deal with confidential information on behalf of both individuals and businesses, we feel strongly about the need to protect private information. Consumers and businesses want to know that their privacy is protected both on- and offline. Efforts must be made to balance the appropriate use of information for business and government purposes with real privacy protection for individuals. The formation of the Privacy Commission proposed by H.R. 4049 is a step in the right direction towards creating this balance through effective solutions that include independent, third party verification. According to the House Committee on Government Reform, from which the Privacy Commission Act legislation is being recommended for a vote on the House floor, Americans are increasingly concerned about their civil liberties and the security and use of their personal information, including medical records, educational records, library records, magazine subscription records, records of purchases and other payments and driver's license numbers.