Privacy Protection

Public records are open by design, but every state and the federal government places limits on what can be released, who can request it, and how the information can be used. This page covers the laws that protect your privacy when records are disclosed and the steps you can take to remove your information from data broker sites.

The Freedom of Information Act, the Privacy Act of 1974, HIPAA, FERPA, and the Driver Privacy Protection Act each cover a different category of records. State open records laws fill in the rest.

Federal agencies and official government resources for submitting FOIA requests, understanding privacy laws, and exercising your federal privacy rights.

• Federal FOIA PortalSubmit Freedom of Information Act requests to all federal agencies through a single official portal
• FTC Privacy Act of 1974Federal Trade Commission's overview of the Privacy Act governing how agencies collect and share personal data
• DOJ Office of Privacy and Civil LibertiesDepartment of Justice office overseeing federal privacy compliance, civil liberties, and FOIA policy
• National Archives FOIARequest federal records from the National Archives covering historical and modern government documents
• USA.gov Privacy Laws GuideOfficial federal portal explaining your privacy rights and how to exercise them with government agencies
• HHS Office of Inspector GeneralFederal oversight for health and human services privacy, including HIPAA enforcement actions

People-search and data-broker sites aggregate public records and sell access to your name, address, phone number, and relatives. Most are required by their own privacy policies to honor opt-out requests.

• FTC Personal Information Protection GuideFederal Trade Commission's official guide to protecting your personal information online and offline
• Privacy Rights ClearinghouseNonprofit consumer privacy resource with opt-out instructions for major data brokers and people-search sites
• California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)Strongest state privacy law in the country, applies to any company collecting California residents' data

Every state has its own open records and privacy laws. Use your state public records page for direct links to the agencies that handle FOIA-equivalent requests, vital records, and law enforcement disclosures.

Visit your state on the government records hub for state-specific privacy and FOIA contacts.