Council receives recommendations on protecting personal information of King County citizens

Social Security numbers to be kept off-line

The Metropolitan King County Council today formally accepted the first annual report and recommendations from the King County Public Records Committee, the panel charged with protecting the personal information provided to the public about King County citizens.

The Public Records Committee was created in May of 2007 after Councilmember Reagan Dunn discovered thousands of real estate documents containing Social Security numbers on the King County Recorder’s Web site. The County Council quickly passed Dunn’s legislation that removed these documents from online viewing, created the Public Records Committee, and directed it to make recommendations on how to safely post documents online without compromising the security of personal information.

“We need to make sure that we are taking the most prudent steps to ensure the privacy of our citizens,” said Councilmember Dunn. “In 2006 I recognized the danger of posting real estate documents online and led the Council to take quick legislative action. This report confirms that personal information was at risk and takes the first step towards making sure that Social Security numbers will never appear on King County’s Web site again.”

In its first report to the Council, the Public Records Committee recommended that the Council keep current restrictions on vulnerable documents in place. In conducting their research, committee members noted that many major jurisdictions don’t post these specific records online due to privacy concerns, and that following their recommendations would help protect the County from any financial liabilities arising from damages caused by the availability of this information.

“As our society becomes more dependent on the Internet for information, I’m hopeful that this committee will help King County maintain an appropriate balance between access and protection of personal information in the years to come,” said Dunn.

The King County Public Records Committee is chaired by the Director of Records and Licensing Services, and includes representatives from the County Council, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, the Assessor’s Office, the Department of Judicial Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Information Resource Management. The Committee is charged with developing a yearly report to guide King County policy on public records, including issues related to public access and protecting privacy.

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn represents District 9 including the cities of Bellevue, Black Diamond, Covington, Enumclaw, Kent, Maple Valley, Newcastle, and Renton.