The Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) released a new report and series of resources today that highlight the importance of data privacy for federally-held data.
The report shows, among other things, that an overwhelming majority of Americans are concerned about the privacy and security of their personal data that is held by the government.
Common Concern: Americans Worried About Personal Data Held by Public Agencies and Want Government Accountability. March 31, 2026 / Elizabeth Laird, Maddy Dwyer, Quinn Anex-Ries.
Limiting the collection, sharing, and consolidation of personal data that is held by government agencies has been a decades-long, bipartisan priority across the United States. But these limits have been challenged over the past year as the federal government has cast aside long-standing privacy norms and initiated unprecedented access to and sharing of administrative data held by federal and state agencies. These actions have spurred significant pushback from the public, states, and civil society organizations, as well as the courts. They have also prompted many individuals in the United States to call into question how and why the government uses their information.
To better understand public sentiment and concerns around the government’s collection, sharing, and consolidation of personal data, the Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) conducted nationally representative polling of U.S. adults (see more on the methodology, including n sizes, on p. 12). CDT found that concern is consistent and high and that people across the United States want to hold government agencies accountable for protecting the privacy of their personal data.
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