E-Census Unplugged: Why Americans Should Be Able to Complete the Census Online

Abstract

Given the increasingly digital world that we live in, most Americans will be surprised to learn that they will be unable to complete the 2010 Census online. This report analyzes the decision made by the U.S. Census Bureau to eliminate the Internet response option and concludes that allowing respondents to submit their survey online would have saved the Census Bureau and taxpayers money. In addition, the report challenges the conventional wisdom that using the Internet for such an application poses a security risk, and outlines how other countries have met this challenge.