Privacy Act of 1974

n. (also Privacy Act) legislation establishing a code of fair information practices that governs the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of information about individuals maintained in systems of records by federal agencies

Notes

The Privacy Act applies only to records about individuals maintained by agencies in the executive branch of the United States government. It grants rights only to US citizens and aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence. It was amended by the Computer Matching and Privacy Protection Act of 1988, Pub. L. 100–503.