The second edition of Guide to U.S. Government Practice on Sharing of Personal Information takes on some of the biggest questions in the privacy field: "With the free flow of digital information across multiple jurisdictions, what laws apply under which circumstances and who has jurisdiction?” Spoiler alert:  It’s complicated.

And John W. Kropf, CIPP/E, CIPP/G, CIPP/US, comes with precisely the credentials required to take on such an ambitious ask. The chief privacy officer for Northrup Grumman and a Certified Information Privacy Professional, Kropf also served as the senior adviser on international privacy policy for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The book serves as part guide and part reference tool—a guide insofar as it summarizes and offers commentary on key U.S. policy statements and a reference tool for deeper dives on sector- and country-specific considerations. 

The book is composed of three parts: a brief section neatly explaining the history, principles and practices of U.S. information-sharing followed by two hefty appendices. Appendix A, at more than 200 pages, accounts for the bulk of this volume and heads right into the information-sharing policies of such bodies as the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, DHS and the Social Security Administration. Appendix B, at 110 pages, covers the intent and practice of cross-border data flow in context with OECD guidelines, the OECD agreement on exchange of information on tax matters and other international frameworks.

It is an impressive volume, though by no means an entry-level read. While the book is intended for government practitioners, attorneys, law enforcement and privacy professionals, parts of the book could be heavy lifting for the “individuals who may be affected by the sharing of their personal information,” to quote the text itself. 

A review of the context and history in the first section provides a good entry point or handy refresher for the average reader, while Appendix B provides in-depth, but digestible, analysis of the various international frameworks. Appendix A can be slightly overwhelming following the easy reading of the first section, but it is definitely worth revisiting to stretch your understanding and build on a base of understanding. 

This is a book to have—and to keep going back to.