Des Moines Register
02-09-07
Ombudsman: Review state records for privacy
By JENNIFER JACOBS
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Does the personal information that ends up on some government documents papers that could then be released to the public or fall into the hands of identity
thieves - leave Iowans vulnerable?
State Ombudsman Bill Angrick asked lawmakers Thursday to create a privacy
commission to investigate that question.
The commission would review whether government agencies need to collect
certain pieces of private information such as Social Security numbers, whether
they make documents public without blacking out sensitive information, and
whether they're properly disposing of unneeded documents.
The idea for the privacy commission came about after records from a county
agency that contained child abuse reports, Social Security numbers, home
addresses and phone numbers, dates of birth, and license plate numbers were
found intact by an Iowa recycling business in 2005, said Kristie Hirschman, an
assistant ombudsman.
The ombudsman's office is also proposing legislation that would require
government officials to redact all Social Security numbers from records before
releasing them publicly, and to notify Iowans if a breach of security happens.
Angrick said he worries that certain documents that require personal information
could be scanned and posted on an agency's Web site.
"Then it's out there for the public to see, 24 hours a day, with worldwide access,"
he said after giving a presentation at a Government Oversight Committee
meeting.
Government files can fall prey to computer hackers, Hirschman said. Last
summer, a hacker targeted a state server that provides electronic services such
as campground registrations.
All three state universities have reported incidents of hacking in the last two
years - involving credit card numbers from Iowa State University, W-2 forms of
University of Northern student employees and faculty, and Social Security
numbers of University of Iowa business students.
Angrick said he hopes a privacy commission as described in Senate Study Bill
1150 could help the Legislature draw conclusions on whether any changes need
to be made.
The commission needs to strike a balance, he said, between the right to public
records and the right to privacy.
Reporter Jennifer Janeczko Jacobs can be reached at (515) 284-8127 or
jejacobs@dmreg.com