Balancing Data Sharing and Privacy to Enhance Integrity and Trust in Government Programs
National Academy of Public Administration
The National Academy of Public Administration is an independent, non-partisan organization established by Congress to assist government leaders in building more effective, efficient, accountable, and transparent organizations. The Academy partnered with PIA to conduct a study exploring the inherent tensions between increased data sharing and protecting individual privacy rights in the context of program integrity and fraud prevention.
Paper at a Glance
Data can fight fraud, but only if we break down silos without breaking trust. This paper explores how the federal government can expand data sharing to prevent fraud while upholding privacy, outlining a path to smarter, safer governance.
Key Takeaways
Data sharing strengthens program integrity and fraud prevention. Agencies and oversight bodies like GAO and OIGs have uncovered large-scale fraud by using shared data.
Opportunities exist to streamline and expedite the compliance processes required by privacy laws and reduce systemic barriers to sharing data across federal agencies.
Targeted reforms can address these barriers while protecting privacy:
- OMB could issue guidance to authorize fraud prevention as a routine use in System of Records Notices.
- Congress could enact special authorities or exemptions for data sharing that supports program integrity and fraud prevention.
- A centralized data platform could help to drive cultural change and support secure, responsible data sharing.