Invasion of Privacy: Public Disclosure of Private Facts.
A covered entity may not use or disclose protected health information, except either: (1) as the Privacy Rule permits or requires; or (2) as the individual who is the subject of the information (or the individual's personal representative) authorizes in writing.
Public Disclosure of Private Facts is an invasion of privacy claim. It is the intrusion into the personal life of another, without just cause, which can give the person whose privacy has been invaded a right to bring a lawsuit for damages against the person or entity that intruded.
“No agency shall disclose any record which is contained in a system of records by any means of communication to any person, or to another agency, except pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains subject to 12 exceptions.” 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b).
Some of the exception clauses are: – Information that is in the public domain. – Information that the disclosing party disclosed before signing the agreement. – Information received by the “receiving party” from a third party, wherein the third party was not obliged to keep the information confidential.
At the top, there are three types, unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral NDAs. The rest of the specific NDA types fall under these three categories. Most are based on who has to sign the NDA. Not all NDAs are created equally, and they can only demand so much secrecy from strangers when compared to their employees.
The Privacy Act allows for criminal penalties in limited circumstances. An agency official who improperly discloses records with individually identifiable information or who maintains records without proper notice, is guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to $5,000, if the official acts willfully.
Exemption 1: Information that is classified to protect national security. Exemption 2: Information related solely to the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency. Exemption 3: Information that is prohibited from disclosure by another federal law.
“No agency shall disclose any record which is contained in a system of records by any means of communication to any person, or to another agency, except pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains subject to 12 exceptions.”
Information compiled in reasonable anticipation of a civil action proceeding. Material reporting investigative efforts pertaining to the enforcement of criminal law including efforts to prevent, control, or reduce crime or to apprehend criminals.