Message Fellow Citizens, Since 2006, filers of real estate documents have been prohibited from including all but the last four digits of social security and federal tax ID numbers. However, there was no provision for “hiding” these numbers from view on pre-2006 documents. I have never been comfortable with leaving so many numbers available for view. Without a local website, online access would be limited to the statewide website, which continues to show all pre-2006 social security and federal tax I.D. numbers on record.   But by having a local website, I have been able to “hide” these numbers manually on individual request.  This is a policy I had in place even before the 2006 legislation was enacted.  This has offered at least limited protection to citizens in our county.  Early redaction technology that applied to entire databases involved permanent removal of numbers, which would violate state law. Recently, however, I was able to obtain a new program still commonly called “redaction”, but it actually only hides the numbers.  Instead of being required to manually hide numbers one by one, it hides numbers in “batch” form.   This capability will still require my staff to verify each batch, but will significantly expedite the process of hiding the numbers from view. These numbers have not been altered or removed from the original document as it was filed.  Anyone who needs to see the entire number can do so by request.  However, we are hiding the numbers on the public view side through an overlay that does not affect or change the original as it was filed. While we are waiting to complete the project, I still want to assist any individual who wishes to have a number hidden beforehand on a document he or she has discovered in his or her own records.   We will not have time to search all documents with your name on them since my staff is working on the verification of the entire database as well.  We will need your help right now to identify the documents.  If you provide the book and page, we will be able to get to your document promptly. With Best Regards, Muscogee County Clerk of Superior, State & Juvenile Courts Established: November 2011 Comments & Feedback