Data Security?
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Throughout this semester, we have continued to discuss the recurrent concepts
of open government, and open data. As citizens of this country, there is an
expectation that we have access to government data and have the ability to participate
in our government. This week’s case study piggy-backed on open government by
suggesting that visualization tools are the “key medium” to understanding the
dense amounts of data that we have access to. With so much data floating
around, it seems fair to question data security; security of government data
being transmitted online, as well as security of our own personal data being
transmitted online.
It’s tax time, as I’m sure you all well know. Many people file their
tax returns electronically to the IRS. Also the IRS maintains large data files online.
The question is, how secure is our data? Unfortunately, based on the recent CNN
article, “Can You Trust the IRS to Keep
Your Tax Data Secure”, the answer is a flat-out NO! Every year, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) monitors
the security of IRS and produces an annual report. It’s not looking good for IRS
security, which means all of our confidential information is at risk. The
article says that the IRS is lacking basic security and it is “embarrassing”
and “dangerous”.
This blatant lack of security of taxpayer’s sensitive information leaves
us open to cybercriminals and at risk for fraud and identity theft. Massive
theft of citizen’s personal data has occurred on many occasions and databases
are being hacked at alarming rates. The government tells us that we HAVE to
submit our personal data to the IRS, but the government is not making any
arrangements to safeguard our information. IRS budget has been cut 17% in the
last few years.
I suggest we use the visualization tools that we have learned about to
start a movement demanding that Congress fund increased security of the IRS. Our
livelihoods literally depend on it.
-
Tia
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