[Federal Register: June 25, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 123)]
[Notices]               
[Page 36093-36094]
                       

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Office of the Secretary

[Docket No. DHS-2008-0061]

 
Public Workshop: Implementing Privacy Protections in Government 
Data Mining

AGENCY: Privacy Office, DHS.

ACTION: Notice announcing public workshop.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security Privacy Office will host a 
public workshop, Implementing Privacy Protections in Government Data 
Mining.

DATES: The two-day workshop will be held on July 24, 2008, from 8:30 
a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and on July 25th, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
Written comments should be received on or before July 17, 2008.

ADDRESSES: The workshop will be held in the International Ballroom 
East, Hilton Washington, 1919 Connecticut Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20009. Send comments by e-mail to privacyworkshop@dhs.gov, by fax to 
(703)-235-0442, or by mail to Toby Milgrom Levin, Senior Advisor, 
Privacy Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528. 
All comments must include the words ``Data Mining Workshop'' and the 
Docket Number (DHS-2008-0061). To register for the Workshop, please 
send an e-mail to privacyworkshop@dhs.gov with ``Data Mining Workshop 
Registration'' in the subject line, and your name and organizational 
affiliation in the body of the e-mail. Alternatively, you may call 703-
235-0780 to register and provide this information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Toby Milgrom Levin, DHS Privacy 
Office, Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528; by 
telephone 703-235-0780; by facsimile 703-235-0442; or by e-mail at 
privacyworkshop@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 
Privacy Office is holding a public workshop to bring together leading 
academic, policy, and technology experts to explore methods of 
validating the accuracy and effectiveness of data mining models and 
rules, and the role of anonymization tools and automated audit controls 
in protecting privacy. The purpose of the workshop is to inform the 
Privacy Office as it prepares its 2008 report to Congress on DHS data 
mining activities.\1\ The workshop will consist of a series of 
presentations and panel discussions that include the broad range of 
stakeholder perspectives. Workshop attendees will have an opportunity 
to ask questions after each panel.
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    \1\ The Department has submitted three prior reports to the 
Congress on data mining: The 2008 Letter Report Pursuant to Section 
804 of the Implementing Recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Act 
of 2007; the 2007 Data Mining Report: DHS Privacy Office Response to 
House Report 109-699 (July 6, 2007) and the Data Mining Report: DHS 
Privacy Office Response to House Report 108-774 (July 6, 2006). 
These reports are available on the DHS Privacy Office Web site at 
http://www.dhs.gov/privacy. The 2008 Letter Report provided a 
preliminary analysis of DHS data mining activities, with the 
understanding that a comprehensive report would follow. This 
workshop is intended to provide context for that comprehensive 
report.
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    The workshop is open to the public, and no fee is required for 
attendance.
    Topics for Comment: To develop a comprehensive record regarding 
privacy protections in government data mining, the DHS Privacy Office 
also invites interested parties to submit written comments as described 
below. Comments should be received on or before July 17, 2008, and 
should be as specific as possible. The Privacy Office is particularly 
interested in receiving comments on the following topics:
    1. How can government data mining activities be carried out in a 
manner that respects privacy?
    2. How do the privacy issues posed by government data mining 
compare to those posed by other types of data analysis by the 
government? What are the similarities and differences? Are there 
privacy issues that are unique to government data mining?
    3. What should be the elements of privacy best practices for 
government data mining? The Privacy Office requests that, where 
possible, comments include references to literature, technical 
standards and/or other resources that would support implementation of 
the best practices identified.
    4. What should be the criteria for validating government data 
mining models and rules?
    5. Are anonymization techniques or tools currently available that 
could be used in conjunction with government data mining? How effective 
are these techniques or tools? What are their costs and benefits? What 
degree of de-identification do they make possible?
    6. What automated audit controls can be implemented in connection 
with government data mining? How effective are these controls? What are 
their costs and benefits?
    7. Are there protections other than anonymization and automated 
audit controls that should be considered in connection with government 
data mining? How effective are any such protections? What are their 
costs and benefits?
    8. Data quality plays an important role in the ability of 
government data mining techniques to produce accurate results. What 
data quality standards should DHS adopt for data mining?
    9. What redress mechanisms should be implemented to protect privacy 
and also preserve the integrity and confidentiality of government 
investigative activities?
    Written comments must include the words ``Data Mining Workshop'' 
and the Docket Number (DHS-2008-0061), and may be submitted by any one 
of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     E-mail: privacyworkshop@dhs.gov. Include ``Data Mining 
Workshop Comment'' in the subject line of the message.
     Fax: 703-235-0442.
     Mail: Toby Milgrom Levin, Senior Advisor, Privacy Office, 
Department of Homeland Security, Washington, DC 20528.
    All written comments received will be posted without alteration on 
the http://www.dhs.gov/privacy Web page for this workshop, including 
any personal contact information provided.
    Registration: In order to assist us in planning for the workshop, 
we ask that attendees register in advance. To register, please send an 
e-mail to privacyworkshop@dhs.gov with ``Data Mining Workshop 
Registration'' in the subject line, and your name and organizational 
affiliation in the body of the e-mail. Alternatively, you may call 703-
235-0780 to register and to provide the DHS Privacy Office with your 
name and organizational affiliation, if any. The Privacy Office will 
use this information only for purposes of planning this workshop and to 
contact you in the event of any logistical changes. An agenda and 
logistical information will be posted on the workshop Web page shortly 
before the event. A written transcript will be posted on the Web page 
following the event.
    Special Assistance: Persons with disabilities who require special 
assistance should indicate this in their registration request and are 
encouraged

[[Page 36094]]

to identify anticipated special needs as early as possible.

    Dated: June 20, 2008.
Hugo Teufel III,
Chief Privacy Officer.
 [FR Doc. E8-14394 Filed 6-24-08; 8:45 am]
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