Vast data warehouse raises health overhaul privacy concerns

[TexasTowelie]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — A government data warehouse stores personal information forever on millions of people who seek coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law, including those who open an account on HealthCare.gov but don't sign up for coverage.

At a time when major breaches have become distressingly common, the vast scope of the information — and the lack of a clear plan for destroying old records — have raised concerns about privacy and the government's judgment on technology.

"A basic privacy principle is that you don't retain data any longer than you have to," said Lee Tien, a senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation. "The more data you keep, the more harm an attacker or unauthorized person can do."

Electronic record-keeping systems are standard for businesses and government agencies. But they are supposed to have limits on how long data is kept.

Read more: http://hosted2.ap.org/TXWAC/8ef5320729ce4298abefc1903704c7d5/Article_2015-06-15-US-Health-Overhaul-Personal-Privacy/id-ea9069170f94431994d59359078f7a7b

[OakCliffDem]

1. The Government can keep data secure - just ask any Federal employee n/t

[Wilms]

2. ^

[Fred Sanders]

3. Bullshit corporate media bullshit....how many of the precious private corporations have been

beached because they are too cheap to pay for the security of customer data....Sony, remember them?

Anyone thinking the government is less able to secure data than corporations has an agenda.

[hughee99]

4. Anyone who suggests the government is able to secure data has an agenda too. n/t

[jtuck004]

5. Oh, please. If it hasn't been hacked already someone isn't doing their job. n/t