None of us wants our personal data exposed; think how closely we guard our Social Security numbers. But the privacy and confidentiality rules that protect our data often are complicated and wide-ranging. They include large-scale regulatory frameworks, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), plus industry-specific rules and internal policies.
Although often challenging, the rules themselves are not the primary problem: It’s the lack of clear, efficient systems for working within them. Procedural hurdles, such as requesting permissions and waiting for approvals, create delays and inefficiencies. And some of the most common ways of identity-proofing datasets — anonymizing, masking or redacting them — can limit analysis and collaboration.
“With executive orders and AI regulations increasing, we’re going to see more built-in privacy protections and ethical data use frameworks take center stage,” predicts Jennifer Franks, Director of Information Technology and Cybersecurity at the Government Accountability Office. Agencies will have to ensure that regulations are “integrated in how we’re managing the data real-time to get folks to understand and trust what it is we need to do.”
Yet, there are simple, practical ways to reduce friction without weakening protections.
1 — Match Data Access to Job Needs
Identify the specific data that each role needs for its tasks, then give those employees automatic access only to what they require. When someone changes jobs, joins a project or leaves the agency, an automated system can update permissions without delays and added risk.
2 — Provide Safe, Preapproved Data Options
Protected dashboards, curated datasets and controlled data sandboxes give employees quick access to data that agencies have authorized already. Preapproval can drastically reduce both the waiting periods for access and the number of one- time requests that may lead to accidental exposure.
3 — Make Rules Clear and Easy to Follow
For instance, plain-language guidance explains in understandable terms what data exists, who can use it and how to handle it. These materials should be easily accessible, stored in a centralized location and use consistent naming conventions. Regular reminders and employee training certainly don’t hurt either.
A version of this article appears in our new guide “How to Make Gov Data Accessible and AI-Ready.” Download the guide here for more practical, proven ways to unlock data insights.
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