This paper discusses the problem of maintaining confidentiality in data resulting from research projects. The rights and responsibilities of the parties involved in a research effort are examined. Five parties to a research project are identified as: (1) the participants, often called subjects, who have the right to privacy and the responsibility to provide honest, valid response; (2) the principal investigator, who selects or designs the collection effort and is responsible for maintaining privacy of subjects and providing accurate reports; (3) the funding agency, whose responsibilities often include selection of the principal investigator, approval of budget, auditing, and deciding whether or not to disseminate results; (4) the scientific community, usually in the form of a secondary analyst, auditor, or critiquer, whose rights include access to findings and data and whose responsibilities are to ensure that results are consistent with the data and analysis and to discourage improper practices and procedures; (5) the public, including the press and legislatures, who have a right to know the results of some research and in some cases have the responsibility for providing information to the general citizenry. The possible conflicts between the five identified parties in a research project are discussed as are means of clarifying roles of each; ways of insuring data security while disclosing important findings are examined. (JD)