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Here is the 2000 census. Its the long form, but the first 10 questions are from the short form. Check out some of these questions. Like 23 and 24 for example. How many people rode to work in the car, truck or van last week? What time did the person usually leave home to go to work LAST WEEK? Notice LAST WEEK in capital letters. Next page, they want your 1999 income. After that they want your interest and dividends. And they want info on your mortgage and second mortgage.
I mean talk about getting personal here.
If you want the number of people in my home, their ages and their race, fine. But to me that should be it.
There is no long form this census. Everyone will get a short form for 2010.
The long form was replaced by a survey called the American Community Survey.
People who live in basement apartments are separate households and should receive separate questionnaires. If anyone doesn't receive a questionnaire by April 1, they can call the Telephone Questionnaire Assistance Center at 1-866-872-6868.
A key to the success of the census is public cooperation. The more people who fill out their questionnaires and mail them back, the cheaper the census will be. A lot of money is being spent on advance mailings. promotions, and other efforts to increase participation. That investment should pay off in increased response and lower costs to visit the nonresponding households.
Here is the 2000 census. Its the long form, but the first 10 questions are from the short form. Check out some of these questions. Like 23 and 24 for example. How many people rode to work in the car, truck or van last week? What time did the person usually leave home to go to work LAST WEEK? Notice LAST WEEK in capital letters. Next page, they want your 1999 income. After that they want your interest and dividends. And they want info on your mortgage and second mortgage.
I mean talk about getting personal here.
If you want the number of people in my home, their ages and their race, fine. But to me that should be it.
I agree--or at least make it anonymous. Last fall I kept getting a form just like that one, only green. They call it the "American Community Survey (http://www.census.gov/acs/www/SBasics/acs_2010.htm - broken link)," but it's the same long, intrusive form. The only difference is that instead of sending it out every 10 years, they are going to send some out every year.
When I looked at it, I was very put off. Not only do they want to know your income and mortgage info, they want to know where you work (the address), how you went to work, how many people were in your car, what time you left for work, how many hours you worked LAST WEEK and whether you were absent from your job, and if so, how many hours you missed. They want to know what languages you speak, how well you speak English, what kind of health insurance you have, and how much your utility bills are. If you live in an apartment, they want to know how many other units are in the complex. Ummmm, go to the landlord for that?
An optimist would say it's so that they know how heavily the roads are traveled and how much mass transit is needed in the area, whether there is a need for ESL classes in the schools or a need for bilingual health professionals, and what the stress is on health clinics and ERs (as many people who don't have insurance tend to use the ER for their care). A cynic would say the whole thing reeked of Big Brother, an attempt to find tax cheats, and an attempt to round up illegal aliens, especially because they want your name.
An optimist would say it's so that they know how heavily the roads are traveled and how much mass transit is needed in the area, whether there is a need for ESL classes in the schools or a need for bilingual health professionals, and what the stress is on health clinics and ERs (as many people who don't have insurance tend to use the ER for their care).
You answered your own question. Responses on questionnaires from the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey, and other census surveys are only used to compile statistics. Responses are not shared with agencies outside the Census Bureau. Data goes through extensive disclosure avoidance procedures to prevent any data to be associated with individual persons or residences.
You answered your own question. Responses on questionnaires from the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey, and other census surveys are only used to compile statistics. Responses are not shared with agencies outside the Census Bureau. Data goes through extensive disclosure avoidance procedures to prevent any data to be associated with individual persons or residences.
A cynic would doubt that. Nonetheless, it's true.
Welllllllll, I wasn't actually asking anything.
I lean toward cynicism, myself. If they want that kind of information, they don't need names and telephone numbers to go along with it. Then perhaps they wouldn't have to waste time, resources, and tax dollars going through "extensive disclosure avoidance procedures."
Oh, I'm sure there are 40 bazillion reasons and rules and layers of bureaucracy that go along with the assurance of confidentiality, but considering how the federal government has lost data to hackers in the past, I think the best security they could have when aggregating data is anonymity.
At least I don't see anyone here saying they'll shoot the census takers, or send their dogs out after them, like I here from people in other states
Quote:
Originally Posted by Avienne
... but considering how the federal government has lost data to hackers in the past, I think the best security they could have when aggregating data is anonymity.
Do you mean compared to banks and credit-card transaction brokers and so many MANY other companies who never disclose that they've been hacked into, or worse NEVER EVER discover it in the first place ???
Being in IT, I see it all the time. On top of that, you'd be amazed how many people out there have no idea their own personal home computers are hacked into and being used by persons outside their home
The gov't losing your information is the least of your worries.
At least I don't see anyone here saying they'll shoot the census takers, or send their dogs out after them, like I here from people in other states
Do you mean compared to banks and credit-card transaction brokers and so many MANY other companies who never disclose that they've been hacked into, or worse NEVER EVER discover it in the first place ???
Being in IT, I see it all the time. On top of that, you'd be amazed how many people out there have no idea their own personal home computers are hacked into and being used by persons outside their home
The gov't losing your information is the least of your worries.
Oh, believe me. I know.
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