Here are two of the questions people typically ask about Privacy:

• What right does the federal government have to collect information about such private subjects as income, for example?
  • The questions that the Census Bureau asks respondents are needed by government to evaluate existing federal and state programs and to design modifications and improvements for such programs, as well as to allocate funds to states and localities.  For example, income data are used to allocate funds for the elderly poor to provide food, health care, and legal services.  Income data are also used to improve educational services for poor children.
• Does the respondent have the right to refuse to answer?
  • The Census Bureau conducts many voluntary surveys of people, households, and businesses.  In those surveys, respondents may refuse to answer any or all questions.  However, everyone's answers are very important.  Each respondent is statistically selected to respond to the survey and each respondent's answers represent many other people.  Without these answers, the Census Bureau could not produce the highest quality data needed by government officials to make important decisions affecting the American people.

In the decennial census and certain mandatory surveys - like the American Community Survey - the law requires respondents to answer all of the questions to the best of their ability.