Confidentiality

The confidentiality of survey data is expected by both survey researchers and survey participants. Survey researchers have multiple meanings for confidentiality that are not quite the same as the common definition. Dictionary definitions use terms such as private, intimate, and trusted, and some refer to national security concerns.

However, in survey research, the definition is more complex and can be used differently by different researchers and survey organizations. For the most part, confidentiality in survey research refers to the methods for protecting the data that are collected. It refers both to the promises made to survey participants that they will not be identified in any way to those outside the organization without their specific permission and to the techniques that organizations use to ensure that publicly available survey data do not contain information that might identify survey respondents.

For respondents, the promise of confidentiality is the agreement on the methods to prevent others from accessing any data that might identify them. Confidentiality of data is important for the success of survey research because survey participants would be much less willing to participate if they thought the survey organization would disclose who participated in the research and/or their identified responses to questions. The confidentiality protections provided to participants are not as strong as for anonymously collected data, but both anonymity and confidentiality are used for the same reasons.

The confidentiality of survey responses is important for the success of surveys under certain conditions. When the survey poses some risks for participants, promises of confidentiality may improve cooperation. Promises of confidentiality are also important to allow respondents to feel comfortable providing answers, especially to sensitive questions. When a survey asks especially sensitive questions, respondents may be more willing to share their thoughts if they know their responses are protected. Some participants would be reluctant to discuss attitudes and opinions on such topics as race, politics, and religion unless they believed their responses could not be identified to them.

Survey research organizations have policies and practices that support confidentiality and use a number of methods to protect confidentiality of survey data. Most organizations require staff members to sign forms stating they will keep the survey data confidential and not reveal any identifiable information outside the survey organization. Survey organizations have elaborate procedures and policies to protect data stored on their computers, particularly data stored on computers that are connected to public computer networks such as the Internet. In some surveys with especially large samples—for example, those conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau—The geographical identifiers could possibly identify respondents. To prevent disclosure of confidential information in these surveys, organizations use a variety of sophisticated data suppression techniques. Because of the multiple data protection methods, survey researchers have a strong record of protecting data integrity and confidentiality.

However, survey data have no clearly denned legal protections that would protect from court subpoenas and possibly other attempts to acquire confidential survey data through the legal system. Fortunately, acquiring identified survey data through legal processes requires substantial effort and is not often successful.

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