The Assault on Privacy

Abstract

Discusses the procedures and problems (both legal and social) of Automated Multiphasic Health Testing and the computerization of records in various hospitals. The existence of current data banks on the health of US citizens is documented. Risks of these types of systems include the possibility that the data gathering agency will go beyond current levels of inquiry and begin to ask more complex, probing, and sensitive questions which may invade a person's privacy. A 2nd issue involves the ever-increasing reliance on recorded information and 3rd-party evaluations of a person's history and performance. Finally, centralization of information creates serious accuracy and reliability problems. Damage to civil liberties may result from accumulation and dissemination of these records. Suggestions are made for ways to handle this system so that these risks will be minimized.