MATRIX Report

Among the responsibilities of the DHS Privacy Office is the obligation to report on complaints and inquiries regarding possible privacy violations. In response to a request by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Privacy Office has conducted a review of the Multi-state Anti-Terrorism Information Exchange (MATRIX) pilot project and the role of DHS in that program. Although the MATRIX program has now been discontinued, the Privacy Office's review illuminates several lessons to be learned from the program which are applicable to any program involving the collection and use of personally identifiable information.