Census Confidentiality in Britain

The population census is the largest single survey of demographic and socio-economic conditions in any country; it is also usually the most visible. As such it occupies a special position both as a source of social and demographic data and as the most prominent example of social research more generally. In recent years, the population census has become the subject of public debate, not only in Britain, but also in most other countries in Europe and North America. To some extent it now carries the burden of justifying not only itself but social research more broadly. And as the most visible of official data collections, it must bear the brunt of the new concern with privacy and data confidentiality.