What responsibility does the Privacy Act of 1974 place on federal agencies concerning their record-keeping?

What responsibility does the Privacy Act of 1974 place on federal agencies concerning their record-keeping?

• A. It requires them to publish all system notices publicly.
• B. It requires them to maintain accurate and complete records and protect them from unauthorized use.
• C. It allows agencies to erase records at will.
• D. It requires that records be stored only in paper format.

Answer: (B)

The essential idea is that the Privacy Act protects individuals by tying how agencies handle personal records to two main duties: keep the information accurate and complete, and shield it from unauthorized use or disclosure. This means agencies must implement practices that ensure records reflect the person correctly and are kept up to date, as well as put safeguards—technical, physical, and administrative—in place to prevent access or disclosure by people who shouldn’t see them. The other options miss the focus on how records are actually maintained and protected: publishing all system notices publicly isn’t the primary record-keeping duty, records aren’t allowed to be erased at will, and storing records only on paper isn’t a requirement since electronic records are permitted.

The essential idea is that the Privacy Act protects individuals by tying how agencies handle personal records to two main duties: keep the information accurate and complete, and shield it from unauthorized use or disclosure. This means agencies must implement practices that ensure records reflect the person correctly and are kept up to date, as well as put safeguards—technical, physical, and administrative—in place to prevent access or disclosure by people who shouldn’t see them. The other options miss the focus on how records are actually maintained and protected: publishing all system notices publicly isn’t the primary record-keeping duty, records aren’t allowed to be erased at will, and storing records only on paper isn’t a requirement since electronic records are permitted.