Freedom of Information

The 'Freedom of Information Act' allows provisions for individuals to gain access to information see documnts held by government ministers and departments, ask for information concerning you to be changed if it is out of date, incorrect or misleading (refer Attorney General's Department web site)

 

When the Whitlam Government first raised the issues towards Freedom of Information which was then crystalised by the Fraser Government in 1978 it was seen as being a major turning point in civil rights and government accountability and many also hoped the Internet would bring unprecedented openness and access to information held by government departments. Unfortunately this has not proven to be the case.

The new digital age has created a new era of closed doors where the private emails of senior managers and undelings are censrored and most are deleted and never stored and where an individual cannot know the discussions that took place prior to critical decisions being made. The initial impacts are being now happening and adjustments are being made, but the second phase implications have not yet become apparent. Powerful institutions believed their interests to be threatened by the technological changes and by the shape of the 'information economy'. Companies and government organisations are building extensions to legal protectionism, and the active development and application of technologies that protect data from prying eyes.

Many egulations and laws that are in place to protect civil rights and create a balance between data protection and access to information have already gone, and the new balance seems to be far less friendly to public access.

 

"Many of the features that have ensured a progressive balance between data protections and freedom of access to data have already been seriously eroded, and the new balance that emerges from the current period of turmoil may be far less friendly to public access and more like a New Dark Ages." Roger Clark FOI Dark Ages

 

 

 

 

See Also: Knowledge Management, data mining,Information systems