Overview of the Privacy Act of 1974

Section 5 of the original Privacy Act established the “U.S. Privacy Protection Study Commission” to evaluate the statute and to issue a report containing recommendations for its improvement.  The Commission issued its final report and ceased operation in 1977.  See U.S. Privacy Protection Study Commission, Personal Privacy in an Information Society (1977) [hereinafter Privacy Commission Report], available at http://epic.org/privacy/ppsc1977report.  See generally Doe v. Chao, 540 U.S. 615, 622-23 (2004) (looking to mandate and recommendation of Privacy Protection Study Commission in connection with legislative history to interpret Privacy Act damages provision).