BEA is committed to striking a balance of accuracy, confidentiality, objectivity, and relevance consistent with statistical obligations and applicable legal requirements. BEA provides users with as much data as possible, while also protecting the confidentiality of company information provided through surveys. BEA researched noise infusion and was poised to go that route. A new U.S. Department of Commerce Administrative Order “Disclosure Avoidance for Statistical Products.” does not allow noise infusion. Against that backdrop, BEA updated its statistical disclosure limitation method, using aggregation and rounding, which are techniques from a disclosure avoidance category called coarsening. This allows BEA to publish more data, while protecting confidential information from survey respondents. This update to our disclosure limitation method protects respondents and provides the public with more essential economic information.
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Page last modified on 6/9/26