BY GAUTHAM NAGESH, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The federal government needs to update laws and technologies to better protect the public's privacy and to avoid new forms of identity theft, privacy and security professionals told a Senate panel on Wednesday.

Among the actions recommended was amending the 1974 Privacy Act to limit agencies? use of the public's personal information stored in databases.

'The American public is quickly losing faith in the government's ability to protect its sensitive information,' said Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del., a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. 'In the wrong hands, compromised personal and sensitive information can leave an individual vulnerable to identity theft or worse.'...

Click here for additional information