FEDERAL DATA CENTERS

WHEREAS, a proposal has been made for the creation of federal data centers which would collect and centralize all data processed by any branch of the government regarding each individual citizen; and

WHEREAS, the creation of such centers could accelerate alarmingly already growing invasions of privacy, thus seriously undermining traditional concepts of human rights which lie at the heart of a free society; and

WHEREAS, the difficulty of maintaining the confidentiality of government files makes it probable that the data collected by such centers would be used to punish dissent and to discourage free inquiry, speech and association; and

WHEREAS, we recognize that there are beneficial uses to which data processing can be put to assure that all citizens receive those benefits of society to which they are entitled; and

WHEREAS, we realize that there are uses of data processing which greatly expedite the efficiency of social development programs:

RESOLVED, that this Convention call upon Congress to support the right of the individual to human dignity as expressed in Article 12 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: "No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks on his honor or reputation;" and

RESOLVED, that this Convention call upon Congress to forbid the compiling in any central data center of any individual dossiers; and

RESOLVED, that this Convention call upon the AFL-CIO and its affiliates to support this position.