Data Aggregation. Any process in which information is gathered and expressed in a summary form for
purposes such as statistical analysis. A common aggregation purpose is to compile information about
particular groups based on specific variables such as age, profession, or income.
DoD Information System. A set of information resources organized for the collection, storage, processing,
maintenance, use, sharing, dissemination, disposition, display, or transmission of information. Includes
automated information system (AIS) applications, enclaves, outsourced information technology (IT)-based
processes and platform IT interconnections.
Electronic Collection. Any collection of information enabled by IT.
Federal Personnel. Officers and employees of the Government of the United States, members of the
uniformed services (including members of the Reserve Components), and individuals entitled to receive
immediate or deferred retirement benefits under any retirement program of the United States (including
survivor benefits). For the purposes of PIAs, DoD dependents are considered members of the general public.
Personally Identifiable Information (PII). Information about an individual that identifies, links, relates or is
unique to, or describes him or her (e.g., a social security number; age; marital status; race; salary; home
telephone number; other demographic, biometric, personnel, medical, and financial information). Also,
information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual's identity, such as his or her name; social
security number; date and place of birth; mother's maiden name; and biometric records, including any other
personal information that is linked or linkable to a specified individual.
Privacy Act Statements. When an individual is requested to furnish personal information about himself or
herself for inclusion in a system of records, providing a Privacy Act statement is required to enable the
individual to make an informed decision whether to provide the information requested.
Privacy Advisory. A notification informing an individual as to why information is being solicited and how such
information will be used. If PII is solicited by a DoD Web site (e.g., collected as part of an email feedback/
comments feature on a Web site) and the information is not maintained in a Privacy Act system of records, the
solicitation of such information triggers the requirement for a privacy advisory (PA).
System of Records Notice (SORN). Public notice of the existence and character of a group of records under
the control of any agency from which information is retrieved by the name of the individual or by some
identifying number, symbol, or other identifying particular assigned to the individual. The Privacy Act of 1974
requires this notice to be published in the Federal Register upon establishment or substantive revision of the
system, and establishes what information about the system must be included.