USPS Updates Privacy Records for Safer Online Mail Handling
Published Date: 1/9/2026
Notice
Summary
The USPS is updating two important privacy record systems to make their policies easier to manage, boost security for online shopping, and improve their IT search tools. These changes affect anyone whose info is stored in these systems and will take effect on February 9, 2026, unless people send in comments before then. No extra costs are expected, just smoother and safer service for all.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 2 mixed.
Most Records Retained 24 Months; One for 25 Years
Most categories of records in the revised systems (access, security analysis, productivity, collaboration, email, cloud storage, multimedia, development, etc.) are retained for 24 months. Records for Unofficial Foreign Travel Monitoring (SEAD 3 covered individuals) are retained for 25 years, and Board portal collaboration data is retained up to 12 months from the close of the event.
Chat Assistant Conversations Linked to Users
USPS will provide employees access to a large language model (chat assistant) and will associate chat assistant conversations with individual USPS employee users. The system allows employees to voluntarily provide chat conversation data to large language models for future model training and development.
Broad Tech and Productivity Data Collected
The USPS will collect and store extensive IT, security, productivity, collaboration, email, web browser, multimedia, cloud storage, development, and eCommerce oversight records about employees, contractors, suppliers, third parties, and participants in web meetings. Many specific data items (for example: IP address, geolocation data, email body text, chat histories, device identifiers, and activity logs) are listed in the systems of records.
New eCommerce Oversight and Audit Data
USPS will implement an application providing oversight into employee activity related to eCommerce and will maintain eCommerce application oversight records (for example: user ACE credentials, managed application IDs, account creation/deletion, API tokens, alert groups, and third-party tool integrations).
Changes Take Effect February 9, 2026
The USPS is revising two Privacy Act systems of records and the revisions will become effective on February 9, 2026 unless comments received by that date lead to a different decision. The notice says these changes affect anyone whose information is stored in these systems.
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