Balancing Data Sharing and Privacy to Enhance Integrity and Trust in Government Programs

PIA

Background

The increasing digitization of government services aims to improve customer experience
by integrating systems and sharing data across agencies. While such integration can
streamline access and improve service delivery, it also raises concerns about the
potential exposure of sensitive personal information. Ensuring a balance between
effective data sharing and robust privacy protections is essential for maintaining public
trust and ensuring the integrity of government programs.

Project Description

The Program Integrity Alliance—a non-profit initiative promoting data-driven, evidence-based integrity, and fraud prevention in government—contracted with the National Academy of Public Administration (the Academy) to conduct a study to address the inherent tensions between increased data sharing and protecting individual privacy rights in the context of program integrity and fraud prevention. The study explored how government agencies can expand data-sharing initiatives to enhance fraud prevention and program efficiency without compromising privacy.  Key research questions included:

• What are the benefits of data sharing in improving program integrity and preventing fraud?
• What are the privacy challenges associated with data sharing in federal government programs in the context of program integrity and fraud prevention?
• What potential legal, regulatory, or policy changes are needed to protect privacy while strengthening and expanding data-sharing initiatives across government agencies?