American Community Survey

• About the American Community Survey
  • Why were you selected?
  • Why should you participate?
    • ACS helps communities (video)
  • How to respond to the survey or get help
    • Respond Online
    • Respond Online Video
    • Respond by Mail
    • Respond by Phone
    • In-person Interview
    • FAQs
  • For people living in group housing
  • Questions on the form and why we ask
    • Income
    • Place of work/Journey to work
  • How we protect your privacy
    • Census Oath of Non-Disclosure
  • Is the American Community Survey legitimate?
  • Sample forms and instructions
• American Community Survey and 2010 Census
• About the Puerto Rico Community Survey
  • Sample forms and instructions
• Operations and Administration of the ACS
  • ACS Program Review
    • FAQs
  • 2011 American Community Survey Improvements

Resources for

• American Indian and Alaska Native Population
• Media
• Congress

How we protect your privacy

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We never reveal your identity to anybody else. The Census Bureau is legally bound to strict confidentiality requirements. Individual records are not shared with anyone, including federal agencies and law enforcement entities. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone, -- not the IRS, not the FBI, not the CIA, and not with any other government agency.

All Census Bureau employees take an oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect all information that could identify individuals. Disclosing ANY information that could identify you or your family means 5 years in prison, or $250,000 in fines, or both.

To protect your privacy, the American Community Survey NEVER asks for:

• your Social Security number
• your personal information via email
• money or donations
• credit card information

If a field representative comes to your home to help you complete the American Community Survey, he or she will ALWAYS have official Census ID.

We never reveal your identity to anybody else. Ever.

Thank you for your time and effort. It makes a difference!