What does the Privacy Act of 1974 establish regarding personally identifiable information?

The Privacy Act of 1974 establishes guidelines for the collection, maintenance, use, and dissemination of personally identifiable information (PII) by federal agencies. This legislation is designed to protect individuals' privacy by setting forth specific requirements that federal agencies must follow when handling personal information.

The act mandates that federal agencies create safeguards to protect PII and provides individuals with certain rights regarding their information. For instance, individuals have the right to access information about themselves held by agencies, request corrections, and know how their data is being used.

In contrast, other options do not accurately reflect the provisions of the Privacy Act. While there are limitations on access to certain types of information, especially in the context of public records, the primary focus of the Privacy Act is not on restricting access to public records or allowing unrestricted dissemination. Instead, it is about regulating federal agency conduct in relation to personal data. The act does not mandate public access to all federal records either; access rights are limited and subject to specific provisions regarding the protection of PII.