For Radio RMF FM on national census 2011, 12 January 2010

GIODO has been striving for adequate protection of personal data to be ensured during the national census to be conducted by the Central Statistical Office (GUS) in 2011 for over two years.

Michał Serzycki, the Inspector General for Personal Data Protection, recalled this during the talk with Mariusz Piekarski, a journalist representing Radio RMF. He said that during that period he had sent a dozen or so letters and addresses concerning both the scope of data to be collected by GUS during the national population and housing census in 2011 and the security of those data. – In this context I was in particular concerned about the development of mega databases by GUS – said Michał Serzycki.

He indicated that as a result of his activities many regulations enhancing data security had been introduced in the original bill on national census such as:

• prohibition of disclosure by GUS of data collected during the census for purposes other than statistical ones,
• prohibition of entrusting by GUS of data collected during the census to other entities,
• order to adopt additional security requirements for the computer system used during the census,
• order to fully anonimise personal data no later than after 2 years since census’ termination,
• possibility for the respondents to voluntarily give some information.

Finally, GIODO informed that it was a pity that his activities aimed at improving the bill on national population and housing census in 2011 had not been supported by other law enforcement authorities, including the Commissioner for Civil Rights, although the bill had been the subject of broad and intensive debate in the media.