The Student and Exchange Visitor Program has published both a Privacy Impact Assessment and a System of Records Notice for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and both are now available for review.
The availability of information is easier today due to the Internet, technological changes in computers, digitized networks, and the creation of new information products. The E-Government Act of 2002 recognized that these advances also have important ramifications for the protection of personal information contained in government records and systems. This act mandates an assessment of the privacy impact of any new or substantially revised information technology system. A privacy impact assessment (PIA) results from these mandated assessments.
In addition, the Privacy Act of 1974 requires officials at federal agencies to explain in a system of records notice (SORN) the types of personally identifiable information officials will collect, use and maintain. A SORN informs the public of the following:
- The reason for collecting the information
- How officials will safeguard the information
- How officials will use the information for agency purposes