Statistical Data Dissemination and Its Confidentiality - A Perspective

Abstract

Protection and privacy of data generated/gathered by Government agencies is an important issue in increasingly integrated world encompassing faster technology of access and dissemination. This paper will try to understand data dissemination policies of Governmental agencies in the western world with specific lessons that can be drawn by India from the other developed countries. Currently India faces major issues of data used by the end-user for purposes other than for which data was sought from the Government agencies as well as protection of data disseminated through websites of Government agencies. The misuse of the public data, which is been collected on the basis of mutual trust, may lead to serious crime to the man kind. The confidentiality of the microdata is a big issue. Hence there is a need to look into the matter in the international prospective and find out a solution to it in a fruitful way.Outline:In the paper I am looking into the four major points of concern, which are as under;1. I am looking into the Statistical System of India and Comparing it with other countries statistical system. I am well aware of the Indian Statistical system in which we collect the data on the sampling basis and then our Central statistical organization publishes the data. The data we publish is on the state level as well as the house hold level too. In india we collect Socio economic data as well as the Employment and unemployment data. The socioeconomic data we collect annually and Employment and unemployment data we collect once in two years. apart from this we collect some industrial data from industries once in five years and some price data etc and compile various price index. In the paper I will look into the matter in the International prospective and find out how it is done in other developed countries in an effective manner and what we can adopt from them to improve upon our statistical system.2. I will be formulating a directive to improve upon the statistical system that it may be self sustaining and hence the data quality do not get effected and statistician get proper recognition in the Govt. system.3. The other point is, in India since data is a public good and by legal resolution we can not charge data. We are only charging the material cost which is associated with the publication and supply of the data, i.e only the stationary charges as well as the media charges. more over we provide absolutely free of cost data too to some of the International , national and Govt. organization for that they need to sign an MOU(Memorandum of understanding with the Govt. of India), for these reasons we have a data dissemination policy. In the other countries also the Statistical system is working well and some of them are not dependent on the Govt. system for their sustainability in fact they are revenue generator along side. I have tried to impress upon the system difference and get some practical lessons implementable in 4. Data dissemination policy of the National Sample Survey Organization of India and the statistical System of India. In that respect The third thing is the illegal use of the data by the peoples and making money out of it, at times its just reciprocating of the same thing in a more user friendly way or at times without any value addition to it. I would try to find out the ways to improve upon the system in a way that this problem created by the competitors may be tackled automatically.