Grand Forks AFB Privacy Notices -- Don't be quiet about being private! Published April 4, 2011 By Staff Sgt. Sherry Alfieri 319th Communications Squadron GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE -- Information is the fuel of the modern world, and when it comes to performing your duties, sometimes information about people is the input to execute your assignment. But how do the people whose information is being collected know why it is needed and what is being done with it? Keeping individuals informed about the reasons for information requests and how the information is used is the purpose of a "Privacy Notice". The phrase "Privacy Notice" is a generic term for any number of methods used to communicate with people about the collection of their personally identifiable information (PII). When any agency of the Federal Government collects information about a person, the agency is required to provide people with a "Privacy Notice". The content of a Privacy Notice informs people about topics such as: · What information is the organization collecting about people? · Why the information is needed? · What will be done with the information? · How an individual can get access to the information about themselves? The information provided as part of Privacy Notices binds the agency to handle the information collected in the way the notice describes. There are five different types of Privacy Notices in the Federal Government: · Privacy Act Statements/Privacy Advisories are provided to a person when their PII is being collected. · Privacy Act Warning Statements/Banners are displayed on publications and in computer systems that contain or collect PII. · Online Privacy Policies are links available to visitors and users of online web sites. · System of Records Notices are provided to Congress, the Office of Management and Budget and the public when certain types of PII collections start, change, or end. · Privacy Impact Assessments are published on agency websites to let the public know how privacy risks involved with an electronic system have been addressed. Privacy Notices only work, however, if they are properly created, get provided and are adhered to. In the course of performing your duties, you may have the responsibility to make one or more of those steps happen. If your duties include management of programs that collect PII, then it is your responsibility to ensure creation and provision of the appropriate Privacy Notice(s). Work with your Base Privacy Officer to follow the required review and approval processes. If your duties include collecting PII directly from people, then you are responsible for providing a Privacy Act Statement/Privacy Advisory to the individual when you collect their information. And, if your duties require handling PII, it is your responsibility to be familiar with the contents of the Privacy Notice(s) that apply to your work. Talk with your Base Privacy Officer if you are not sure what Privacy Notices apply. For additional information about precautions to take when collecting or handling PII, visit the GFAFB Base Records Management site on EIM. And just remember when it comes to Privacy Notices - Don't be Quiet About being Private! Base Privacy Act Officers Staff Sgt. Sherry Alfieri 701-747-3008 Mr. Fred Bolt 701-747-6143 Senior Airman Stephen Shannon 701-747-3165