As our work at SLAC becomes increasingly web-based, SLAC website managers, web authors, and others responsible for providing information via the web have requested guidance on what information about a person should be displayed on SLAC’s website.

Given the fact that we serve a worldwide scientific user community, the ability to provide efficient and open access to certain work-related information via the web is a practical necessity.

The new Policy on Web-Available Information about People at SLAC (https://www-internal.slac.stanford.edu/web/policy/webprivacy.html) and the accompanying Best Practices (https://www-internal.slac.stanford.edu/web/bp/privacy.asp) define what information about people can be made public on the external SLAC website and on our internal website – information that is business-related and that SLAC makes available to further our scientific and organizational needs.

This policy and the accompanying best practices document do not address the privacy and confidentiality of information such as medical and financial data, home addresses, etc. That information is already protected, depending upon the circumstances, by law and/or existing SLAC and Stanford policies.

If you have questions or comments about the Policy or Best Practices, please contact Ruth McDunn, SLACs Web Information Manager (wim@slac.stanford.edu, Ext. 2014). The Best Practices document will be an active, changing guide to address how to handle web privacy issues, particularly as web authors and managers encounter new issues.