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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 9 augusT 2022

Researchers ask Census to stop controversial privacy method

By MIKE SCHNEIDER that were made public in
Prominent demographers previous censuses won't
are asking the U.S. Census be released at the small-
Bureau to abandon a con- est geographic levels, and
troversial method for pro- efforts to apply the algo-
tecting survey and census rithm have delayed the re-
participants' confidential- lease of the next round of
ity, saying it is jeopardizing 2020 census data until next
the usability of numbers year, almost two years af-
that are the foundation of ter it should have been re-
the nation's data infrastruc- leased, the letter said.
ture. "These key data for local
The Census Bureau em- government planning will
braced using differential be out-of-date when they
privacy algorithms for the are finally released," it said.
first time with the release City University of New York
last year of the first round sociology professor emeri-
of 2020 census data. Those tus Andrew Beveridge
numbers were used for de- warned over the weekend
termining how many con- at the Joint Statistical Meet-
gressional seats each state ings conference in Wash-
gets, as well as redrawing ington that private data
political districts in a once- providers are ready "to
a-decade process known pounce" and fill the gap if
as redistricting. This Sunday, April 5, 2020, file photo, shows an envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed researchers feel the Census
The demographers and to a U.S. resident in Detroit. Bureau data is unusable.
other researchers ask in a Associated Press That could lead to the priva-
letter to Census Bureau Di- tization of the U.S. statistical
rector Robert Santos that fundamental to American after their use was chal- ulation Estimates, which infrastructure, Beveridge
the agency drop future democracy and to equity lenged in a lawsuit by the promotes cooperation and said during a presentation
plans to use the algorithms in redistricting, fund allo- state of Alabama. communication between at the largest gathering of
on two other important cation and planning for Census consultant Terri Ann the Census Bureau and statisticians and data users
data releases — annual government services of all Lowenthal said the letter state agencies responsible in North America. The de-
population estimates and kind," the letter said. reflects "the significant un- for demographic research. mographers claim in their
the American Community The Census Bureau has said ease about the continued Its members started gather- letter that the statistical
Survey figures. The annual that the differential priva- usefulness of Census Bu- ing signatures for the letter agency's credibility is on
population estimates are cy algorithms are needed reau data in light of new last week from other re- the line, saying "the experi-
used in the distribution of since, without them, the efforts to protect confiden- searchers and will present ence of the last few years
$1.5 trillion in federal fund- growth of easily available tiality in the modern world." the letter to Santos some- has undermined user trust
ing each year. The Ameri- third-party data combined "The concerns get to the time in the next several in the Census Bureau."
can Community Survey with modern computing heart of the bureau's mis- weeks. Differential privacy Last month at meeting
provides the most compre- could allow hackers to sion, so I'm sure agency algorithms add intentional sponsored by the National
hensive data on how peo- piece together the iden- leadership will take them errors to data to obscure Academies on differential
ple in the U.S. live by asking tities of participants in its seriously and, hopefully, the identity of any given privacy, Santos was asked
questions about commut- censuses and surveys in find acceptable solu- participant. It is most no- about the feasibility of re-
ing times, internet access, violation of the law. Previ- tions based on meaningful ticeable at the smallest ge- verting back to previous
family life, income, educa- ous methods of protection stakeholder engagement," ographies, such as census confidentiality methods.
tion levels, disabilities, mili- are no longer effective, said Lowenthal, a former blocks. For the next census "I understand where you
tary service and employ- according to the statistical congressional staffer who in 2030, the demographers are coming from. I feel
ment. agency. specializes in census issues. recommended using other your pain," Santos said. "We
The privacy protection A panel of three federal The letter was spearhead- methods to protect confi- have made a determina-
methods "are inappropri- judges last year refused ed by steering committee dentiality such as combin- tion that if we want to pro-
ate for the critically impor- to stop the Census Bureau members from the Federal- ing blocks with few people. tect data in today's soci-
tant data sets, which are from using the algorithms State Cooperative for Pop- Some of the detailed data ety... that is not possible."q