Question..Is it my civic duty to

[pipoman]

participate in the US Census Bureau's "Current Population Survey"? A census person came to my house and asked if I would participate based on my address being drawn randomly. I asked if I was required to participate, he said I was not. I declined to participate. He left and the next day I received a fed ex from the census asking me to reconsider and stating that the census guy would be back. He came back a couple days later and I declined again. He said we would repeat this every month for 4 or 6 months. He came back a couple weeks later, I didn't answer the door and I received another letter from the census. I feel it is harassment and am thinking of calling the Denver field office to request he not come back.

I am a believer in only giving information about myself which is necessary and not volunteering personal information to anyone. But this is the survey where labor and real estate statistics originate, so is it a civic duty to participate when called upon, like jury duty..

They want to know where every household member works, income, marital status, children, home owner/renter, and a bunch of other personal stuff..What do you say?

[Agschmid]

1. Yes.

I think so. IMO.

[Mojorabbit]

2. This happened to my sister and she declined.

I will find out how it ended. She too felt the questions were out of line.

[pipoman]

7. If it were a few questions

I would like done it..the census worker is a local person..it just seemed intrusive to me..now it feels like harassment because the guy comes to my house so often after I have declined to participate..

[Mojorabbit]

13. I know they came out more than once

to her place. They wanted to know what time every person in the house left for work or school in the morning among other things. She thought it would be information a burglar would like to have.

[MiniMe]

3. Since it isn't a cencus year, I would have questioned a person asking those kind of questions too

But since you seem to have received other communication that verifies that it indeed an official cencus taker, I would answer their questions. There are many things that are determined by the cencus, such as congressional districts and other things that I can't put my finger on right now.

[NutmegYankee]

8. The community surveys are done in non-census years.

They help determine statistics like median income, education, and average spending.

[tritsofme]

4. Lots of important economic statistics are derived from this survey, including the unemployment rate.

They must interview 60,000 households each month.

I would take it.

[Skittles]

5. I say they probably already have that info

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. Yyyyyyup. I would respectfully decline. If that didn't work?

I'd tell them to fuck off.

[elleng]

9. Yes.

[Llewlladdwr]

10. Tell 'em to ask the NSA. nt

[petronius]

11. You are not legally required to respond to the Current Population Survey, but if it

was the American Community Survey (ACS) you would be. I don't know about civic duty, but I personally find census data quite useful both in teaching and research, so I'm (selfishly) grateful when everyone responds accurately...

[Recursion]

12. I see what you did there

Well played

[SheilaT]

14. As others have pointed out, it's not mandatory,

but it's really useful.

There are probably any number of different census bureau surveys happening between the decennial counts, but they all result in very useful statistical information.

I also believe that the selection for these kinds of things is based on address, some sort of random sampling to give the kind of random statistics they want.

Twice in my life I've lived at an address that was one surveyed in the inbetween times. I never felt that the questions were intrusive, but you may have different questions being asked than we did.

If you are reluctant to participate, and if you feel justified in that reluctance, then by all means contact the census bureau and request they not contact you again.

Are you willing to share what those questions were that you did not like?

[Arctic Dave]

15. I did it once but it was what seemed very intrusive.

I refuse now because it seems that the information is more likely to be used against me then for me.

Ie, corporations etc.