Lamar Smith (R-Texas) has written to three senior Administration officials, asking them to explain how Act data gathered by the federal website is with private companies such as Google, Twitter, YouTube and dozens others.
Smith, chairman the House Science, Space and Technology, sent the letters to Sylvia Burwell, Secretary and Human Services,Marilyn Tavenner, Administrator Centers for and Services, and Megan Smith, Chief Technology Officer at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.
The letters noted that the Associated Press recently reported that as many as 50 companies had been given direct access to information entered on the website.
The White House said the access was intended to make the site easier to use and to present consumers with customized information, and that no personal data was with the companies. Following the AP report, the White House said the number companies was reduced by about half.
Smith’s letter, contrary to the White House’s statements, said the information available to the companies “can include a social security number, annual salary, employment, place residence, immigration status, military , criminal history, financial information, age, whether one is pregnant, whether one smokes and more.”
Data-mining companies would then be able to combine this information with other data on commercial websites and databases, he said. “These detailed electronic dossiers on millions Americans could then be sold to other businesses, U.S. government agencies, foreign governments and even criminal enterprises that are willing to pay sums money for the information.”
Smith asked the Administration executives if they had been aware the access given to these companies prior to the AP story, if they were involved in the decision to grant that access, whether they believe the practice should continue, and if the agencies are able to adequately monitor activities the companies.
He also asked if they believed the practice complied with theFederal Information Security Management Act, and if not, how soon the agencies can make the website compliant.
Smith requested copies all official communications between the three agencies and the companies that had access to data.
“In light the serious issues personal privacy and government information raised by the recent news report,” Smith wrote, his may hold hearings and ask the three officials “to appear relatively short notice and testify.”
