How do the Census Bureau and BLS handle respondent confidentiality?
The information that respondents provide is used solely for statistical purposes. All Census Bureau data collectors take an oath of confidentiality and are subject to fines or imprisonment for improperly disclosing information provided by respondents. Names and addresses are removed from all forms, and are not included in any statistical release. As a further precaution, the Bureau of Labor Statistics applies certain restrictions to the microdata shown on the public-use CD-ROMs. These include geographical and value restrictions that prevent the identification of respondents.
