The next time your credit card company calls you with a question about a charge on your card, be glad that the bank is looking out for its own interests as well as yours.  Financial companies constantly upgrade systems against identity theft to protect their bottom line.  But executive branch agencies that have your SSN, home address, telephone number, and other personal information have much lower standards, an article in the September 2008 issue of Consumer Reports shows.  Citizens give the government their personal data every day when they apply for mortgages, unemployment insurance, Medicaid, agricultural programs, veteran’s benefits — you name it.  Still, to this day there is no U.S. government-wide policy on protecting citizens’ personal data, and individual agencies often do little to protect your good name.  Consumer Reports quotes one expert who points out that "government agencies are among the worst offenders in weeding out data breaches because they have no financial incentive to look for them."  The incentive of protecting citizens from crime should be enough.  -NH

Comment RSS - You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.