117-413: Freedom of information laws allow access by the general public to data held by national governments and, where applicable, by state and local governments. The emergence of freedom of information legislation was a response to increasing dissatisfaction with the secrecy surrounding government policy development and decision making. In recent years Access to Information Act has also been used. They establish
234-578: A "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions. Also variously referred to as open records , or sunshine laws (in the United States ), governments are typically bound by a duty to publish and promote openness. In many countries there are constitutional guarantees for the right of access to information, but these are usually unused if specific support legislation does not exist. Additionally,
351-534: A Facebook page were posted with racially abusive content and comments depicting Aboriginal people as inferior. While the contents on the page were removed by the originators after an investigation conducted by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, Facebook did not delete the page and has allowed it to remain under the classification of controversial humor. However, a post by an African American woman addressing her discomfort with being
468-655: A Law on Access to Information was approved in 2005. It has gone into effect. Previously in 1998 there was accepted Law on Freedom on Information, but the Law of 2005 provided more detailed and secured regulation for access to official information. On 21 October 2008, the Caretaker Government of Bangladesh issued in the Bangladesh Gazette the Right to Information Ordinance (No. 50 of 2008), based loosely on
585-418: A broader process of fragmentation of the internet. Zero-rating , the practice of internet providers allowing users free connectivity to access specific content or applications for free, has offered some opportunities for individuals to surmount economic hurdles, but has also been accused by its critics as creating a ‘two-tiered’ internet. To address the issues with zero-rating, an alternative model has emerged in
702-427: A campaign was launched by Katie Price to ensure that Britain's MP's held those who are guilty of perpetuating online abuse towards those with disabilities accountable. Online abuse towards individuals with disabilities is a factor that can discourage people from engaging online which could prevent people from learning information that could improve their lives. Many individuals living with disabilities face online abuse in
819-1088: A classification designed to filter out "potentially inappropriate content". The internet provides information that can create a safe space for marginalized groups such as the LGBTQIA community to connect with others and engage in honest dialogues and conversations that are affecting their communities. It can also be viewed as an agent of change for the LGBTQIA community and provide a means of engaging in social justice. It can allow for LGBTQIA individuals who may be living in rural areas or in areas where they are isolated to gain access to information that are not within their rural system as well as gaining information from other LGBT individuals. This includes information such as healthcare, partners, and news. Gay Health provides online medical and health information and Gay and Lesbians Alliance Against Defamation contains online publications and news that focus on human rights campaigns and issues focused on LGBTQIA issues. The Internet also allows LGBTQIA individuals to maintain anonymity. Lack of access to
936-739: A collaboration of ideas, concerns, and helps LGBTQIA individuals move forward. This can be fostered through human service professionals who can utilize the internet with evidence and evaluation to provide information to LGBTQIA individuals who are dealing with the circumstances of coming out and the possible repercussions that could follow as a result. With the evolution of the digital age , application of freedom of speech and its corollaries (freedom of information, access to information) becomes more controversial as new means of communication and restrictions arise including government control or commercial methods putting personal information to danger. Freedom of information (or information freedom) also refers to
1053-426: A disability in comparison to those who are not living with a disability. According to The Pew Internet 54% of households with a person who has a disability have home internet access compared to 81% of households that have home internet access and do not have a person who has a disability. The type of disability an individual has can prevent one from interacting with computer screens and smartphone screens, such as having
1170-406: A greater degree of government surveillance and an increase in the ability of intelligence authorities to access citizens’ data. While legality is a precondition for legitimate limitations of human rights, the issue is also whether a given law is aligned to other criteria for justification such as necessity, proportionality and legitimate purpose. The United Nations Human Rights Council has taken
1287-620: A historic pioneer in the field of FOI along with Sweden, Finland and Norway. There is no constitutional basis in the Constitution of Denmark for the right of the public to information. Denmark scores 64 points in Global Right to Information Rating. According to the Act of 1985, Section 4 Part 1 states that “any person may ask to see documents received or issued by an administrative authority.” Information concerning administrative matters of
SECTION 10
#17327719520011404-535: A number of steps to highlight the importance of the universal right to privacy online. In 2015, in a resolution on the right to privacy in the digital age, it established a United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy. In 2017, the Human Rights Council emphasized that the ‘unlawful or arbitrary surveillance and/ or interception of communications, as well as the unlawful or arbitrary collection of personal data, as highly intrusive acts, violate
1521-423: A quadriplegia disability or having a disability in the hands. However, there is still a lack of access to technology and home internet access among those who have a cognitive and auditory disability as well. There is a concern of whether or not the increase in the use of information technologies will increase equality through offering opportunities for individuals living with disabilities or whether it will only add to
1638-408: A thorough understanding of how to shield their digital communications and traces, journalists and sources can unwittingly reveal identifying information. Employment of national security legislation, such as counter-terrorism laws , to override existing legal protections for source protection is also becoming a common practice. In many regions, persistent secrecy laws or new cybersecurity laws threaten
1755-497: Is a Crown copyright . Complaints for possible violations of the Act may be reported to the Privacy Commissioner of Canada . Canadian access to information laws distinguish between access to records generally and access to records that contain personal information about the person making the request. Subject to exceptions, individuals have a right of access to records that contain their own personal information under
1872-415: Is a factor in home-internet access disparities, there are still racial and ethnic inequalities that are present among those within lower income groups. 58% of low income Whites are reported to have home-internet access in comparison to 51% of Hispanics and 50% of Blacks. This information is reported in a report titled "Digital Denied: The Impact of Systemic Racial Discrimination on Home-Internet Adoption" which
1989-797: Is based on internationally recognized laws and standards for human rights on freedom of expression and privacy set out in the UDHR, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). Participants in the Initiative include the Electronic Frontier Foundation , Human Rights Watch , Google , Microsoft , Yahoo , other major companies, human rights NGOs, investors, and academics. According to reports, Cisco Systems
2106-498: Is central to the Information Society. Everyone, everywhere should have the opportunity to participate and no one should be excluded from the benefits the Information Society offers. The 2004 WSIS Declaration of Principles also acknowledged that "it is necessary to prevent the use of information resources and technologies for criminal and terrorist purposes, while respecting human rights". Wolfgang Benedek comments that
2223-556: Is enforced by the Information Commissioner of Canada . There is also a complementary Privacy Act that was introduced in 1983. The purpose of the Privacy Act is to extend the present laws of Canada that protect the privacy of individuals with respect to personal information about themselves held by a federal government institution and that provide individuals with a right of access to that information. It
2340-530: Is fairly closed to public scrutiny. Between the 1960s and 1980s a number of enquiries were made, looking into the transparency of the Australian government and public services which led to New Industry Law (NAL) reforms. One of the NAL initiatives was Freedom of Information and is considered a "landmark in the development of Australian democracy". Members of the public have certain rights of access. These include
2457-890: Is freedom of a person or people to publish and have access to information. Access to information is the ability for an individual to seek, receive and impart information effectively. As articulated by UNESCO , it encompasses "scientific, indigenous , and traditional knowledge; freedom of information, building of open knowledge resources, including open Internet and open standards , and open access and availability of data; preservation of digital heritage ; respect for cultural and linguistic diversity , such as fostering access to local content in accessible languages; quality education for all, including lifelong and e-learning ; diffusion of new media and information literacy and skills, and social inclusion online, including addressing inequalities based on skills, education, gender, age, race, ethnicity, and accessibility by those with disabilities; and
SECTION 20
#17327719520012574-515: Is guaranteed in constitutional provisions on freedom of expression. The No. 184(I)/2017 law on access to information in the southern part of the Republic of Cyprus of the country has been published on 22 December 2017. A law that falls below Council of Europe standards in the Northern occupied part of Cyprus. The right to access to public information is provided in different ways in the two parts of
2691-472: Is in relation to the LGBTQIA community in public schools and libraries. There is also the presence of online abuse by online predators that target LGBTQIA members by seeking out their personal information and providing them with inaccurate information. The use of the internet can provide a way for LGBTQIA individuals to gain access to information to deal with societal setbacks through therapeutic advice, social support systems, and an online environment that fosters
2808-694: The Freedom of Information Act 1982 was passed at the federal level in 1982, applying to all "ministers, departments and public authorities" of the Commonwealth. The act was amended in 2010 under the Rudd Government, establishing the government office of the information commissioner, to further promote freedom of information. There is similar legislation in all states and territories: "Austria’s government has frequently been criticized for inadequate transparency. Official secrecy remains enshrined in
2925-590: The Privacy Act but the general public does not have a right of access to records that contain personal information about others under the Access to Information Act . Each province and territory in Canada has its own access to information legislation. In all cases, this is also the provincial public sector privacy legislation. For example: From 1989 to 2008, requests made to the federal government were catalogued in
3042-557: The Constitution provides for the freedom of information. A law titled Law on Access to Public Information ( Ley de Acceso a la Información Pública ) took effect on 20 April 2009. In April 2007, the State Council of the People's Republic of China promulgated the "Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Open Government Information" (中华人民共和国政府信息公开条例), which came into effect on 1 May 2008. The Colombian constitution grants
3159-684: The Coordination of Access to Information Requests System . A 393-page report released in September 2008, sponsored by several Canadian newspaper groups, compares Canada's Access to Information Act to the FOI laws of the provinces and of 68 other nations. In 2009, The Walrus (magazine) published a detailed history of FOI in Canada. The Freedom of Information Law was passed in 2007 and was brought into force in January 2009. In Chile , article 8 of
3276-624: The European Commission and United States Government reached an agreement to replace Safe Harbour, the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield , which includes data protection obligations on companies receiving personal data from the European Union, safeguards on United States government access to data, protection and redress for individuals, and an annual joint review to monitor implementation. The European Court of Justice 's 2014 decision in
3393-555: The European Union General Data Protection Regulation states "Member States law should reconcile the rules governing freedom of expression and information, including journalistic...with the right to the protection of personal data pursuant to this Regulation. The processing of personal data solely for journalistic purposes...should be subject to derogations or exemptions from certain provisions of this Regulation if necessary to reconcile
3510-615: The Index on Censorship , states that "the internet has been a revolution for censorship as much as for free speech". The concept of freedom of information has emerged in response to state sponsored censorship, monitoring and surveillance of the internet. Internet censorship includes the control or suppression of the publishing or accessing of information on the Internet . According to the Reporters without Borders (RSF) "internet enemy list"
3627-479: The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to be applied to the Internet . The Declaration recalls the duty of member states to the ICCPR to protect the right to freedom of expression with regard to the internet and in this context freedom of information. The Hacktivismo Declaration recognizes "the importance to fight against human rights abuses with respect to reasonable access to information on
Freedom of information laws by country - Misplaced Pages Continue
3744-510: The Internet gateways . The system also selectively engages in DNS poisoning when particular sites are requested. The government does not appear to be systematically examining Internet content, as this appears to be technically impractical. Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China is conducted under a wide variety of laws and administrative regulations. In accordance with these laws, more than sixty Internet regulations have been made by
3861-472: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights , that everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression ; that this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers. Communication is a fundamental social process, a basic human need and the foundation of all social organisation. It
3978-631: The "New Delhi Declaration on Inclusive ICTs for Persons with Disabilities: Making Empowerment a Reality". According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), "Open Standards" are standards made available to the general public and developed (or approved) and maintained via a collaborative and consensus driven process. "Open Standards" facilitate interoperability and data exchange among different products or services and are intended for widespread adoption." A UNESCO study considers that adopting open standards has
4095-433: The 2017 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, in 36 countries and territories surveyed, 51 per cent of adults 55 years and older consider television as their main news source, compared to only 24 per cent of respondents between 18 and 24. The pattern is reversed when it comes to online media, chosen by 64 per cent of users between 18 and 24 as their primary source, but only by 28 per cent of users 55 and older. According to
4212-612: The Arab Youth Survey, in 2016, 45 percent of the young people interviewed considered social media as a major source of news. Satellite television has continued to add global or transnational alternatives to national viewing options for many audiences. Global news providers such as the BBC , Al Jazeera , Agence France-Presse , RT (formerly Russia Today) and the Spanish-language Agencia EFE , have used
4329-636: The Article 5, XXXIII, of the Constitution sets that "everyone shall have the right to receive information of his own interest or of public interest from public entities, which shall be given within the time prescribed by law". Also, article 22 of the Federal law nº 8.159/1991 grants the right to "full access to public documents". A statute passed in 2011 and that will enter into force in 2012 (Federal Law 12.527/2011, promulgated on 28 November 2011) regulates
4446-610: The Caribbean (85 per cent), Asia and the Pacific (75 per cent), Western Europe and North America (66 per cent) and finally Africa, where 56 per cent of States examined had revised their source protection laws. As of 2015, at least 60 nations had adopted some form of whistle-blower protection. At the international level, the United Nations Convention against Corruption entered into force in 2005. By July 2017,
4563-514: The Defense Intelligence Service. In addition, the access to legislative process was further restricted. According to the new Act documents in the drafting stage are not to be accessed as well as “other corresponding political activities,” so restriction is not concerning only Bills. In the future, it will not be possible to find the calendars of ministers being published. Nevertheless, the Act was created while keeping in mind
4680-540: The Google Spain case allowed people to claim a " right to be forgotten " or "right to be de-listed" in a much-debated approach to the balance between privacy, free expression and transparency. Following the Google Spain decision the "right to be forgotten" or "right to be de-listed" has been recognized in a number of countries across the world, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean. Recital 153 of
4797-567: The Hacktivist Declaration states "but we oppose the use of state power to control access to the works of critics, intellectuals , artists , or religious figures." On October 29, 2008, the Global Network Initiative (GNI) was founded upon its "Principles on Freedom of Expression and Privacy". The Initiative was launched in the 60th Anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and
Freedom of information laws by country - Misplaced Pages Continue
4914-690: The Indian Right to Information Act , 2005. The Ordinance was passed by the current government of Bangladesh in the first session of this parliament on 29 March 2009. The A2i programme is a part of the Vision 2021 , a political manifesto of the Bangladesh Awami League party before winning the National Elections of 2008 . Article 32 of the Constitution was amended in 1993 to include a right of access to documents held by
5031-523: The Information Society (WSIS) Declaration of Principles adopted in 2003 reaffirms democracy and the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Declaration also makes specific reference to the importance of the right to freedom of expression for the " Information Society " in stating: We reaffirm, as an essential foundation of the Information Society , and as outlined in Article 19 of
5148-630: The Internet" and calls upon the hacker community to "study ways and means of circumventing state sponsored censorship of the internet" and "implement technologies to challenge information rights violations". The Hacktivismo Declaration does, however, recognise that the right to freedom of expression is subject to limitations, stating "we recognized the right of governments to forbid the publication of properly categorized state secrets , child pornography , and matters related to personal privacy and privilege , among other accepted restrictions." However,
5265-583: The Pacific, three in Latin America and the Caribbean, two in the Arab region and one in Western Europe and North America. During the same period, 23 countries revised their data protection laws, reflecting the new challenges to data protection in the digital era. According to Global Partners Digital, only four States have secured in national legislation a general right to encryption, and 31 have enacted national legislation that grants law enforcement agencies
5382-722: The Parliament of the Republic of Cyprus. On 22 December 2017 the law has finally been approved (Law number 184(I)/2017 Law on the Right of Access to Information of the Public Sector). In the Czech Republic , the Zákon č. 106/1999 Sb., o svobodném přístupu k informacím ( Act No. 106/1999 Coll. on Free Access to Information ) covers the "state agencies, territorial self-administration authorities and public institutions managing public funds" as well as any body authorised by
5499-684: The People's Republic of China (PRC) government, and censorship systems are vigorously implemented by provincial branches of state-owned ISPs , business companies, and organizations. In 2010, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton , speaking on behalf of the United States , declared 'we stand for a single internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas'. In her 'Remarks on Internet Freedom' she also draws attention to how 'even in authoritarian countries, information networks are helping people discover new facts and making governments more accountable', while reporting President Barack Obama 's pronouncement 'the more freely information flows,
5616-653: The Press report of 2015. The new legislation caused demonstrations and protests. It can be regarded as a response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. After the Public Records Act of 2013 came into effect, public access to information regarding the Intelligence Services instead of falling under the Public Records Act is now managed by the Act on the Security and Intelligence Service as well as the Act on
5733-664: The Republika Srpska and Freedom of Access to Information Act for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively. The FOIA Act changed on the BiH state level two times. The first alteration was passed in 2006, enabling stronger legal protection within the framework of administrative law of BiH. The second alteration was passed in December 2009, which enforced legal penalties for prescribed violations. In Brazil ,
5850-512: The United Kingdom has theorised it as being an extension of freedom of speech , and a fundamental human right . It is recognized in international law . The international and United States Pirate Party have established political platforms based largely on freedom of information issues. There has been a significant increase in access to the Internet, which reached just over 5.35 billion users in 2024, amounting to about 66 per cent of
5967-597: The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 has a target to ensure public access to information and the protection of fundamental freedoms as a means to ensure accountable, inclusive and just institutions. Over 100 countries around the world have implemented some form of freedom of information legislation. Sweden 's Freedom of the Press Act of 1766 is the oldest in the world. Most freedom of information laws exclude
SECTION 50
#17327719520016084-628: The Universal Access to Information” or, as it is more commonly known, Access to Information Day . The date had previously been celebrated as “Right to Know Day” since 2002. The UNESCO resolution recommends approval by the UN General Assembly . In Albania , the constitution of 1998 guarantees the right of access to information; the legislation for supporting this is Law no. 119/2014 "On the right to information" (Ligji nr. 119/2014 "Për të drejtën e informimit"). The law regulates
6201-506: The WSIS Declaration only contains a number of references to human rights and does not spell out any procedures or mechanism to assure that human rights are considered in practice. The digital rights group Hacktivismo , founded in 1999, argues that access to information is a basic human right . The group's beliefs are described fully in the "Hacktivismo Declaration" which calls for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
6318-508: The Wharton School of Public Policy, the expansion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has resulted in multiple disparities that have had an impact on women's access to ICT with the gender gap being as high as 31% in some developing countries and 12% globally in 2016. Socioeconomic barriers that result from these disparities are known as what we call the digital divide. Among low-income countries and low-income regions alike,
6435-502: The competencies of information and media literacy that enable users to be empowered and make full use of access to the Internet. The UNESCO's support for journalism education is an example of how UNESCO seeks to contribute to the provision of independent and verifiable information accessible in cyberspace . Promoting access for disabled persons has been strengthened by the UNESCO-convened conference in 2014, which adopted
6552-503: The concept of ‘equal rating’ and is being tested in experiments by Mozilla and Orange in Africa. Equal rating prevents prioritization of one type of content and zero-rates all content up to a specified data cap. Some countries in the region had a handful of plans to choose from (across all mobile network operators) while others, such as Colombia , offered as many as 30 pre-paid and 34 post-paid plans. In Western Europe and North America,
6669-500: The concepts are often closely tied together in political discourse. A basic principle behind most freedom of information legislation is that the burden of proof falls on the body asked for information, not the person asking for it. The person making the request does not usually have to give an explanation for their actions, but if the information is not disclosed a valid reason has to be given. In 2015 The UNESCO General Conference voted to designate 28 Sep as “International Day for
6786-712: The constitution, and Austria’s overall legal framework on access to information is weak" writes the NGO Freedom House in its 2022 and 2023 reports. Reporters without Borders (RSF) : "In Austria, press freedom has been undermined by various political pressures or restrictions on access to information." In the context of a newly proposed public access law that has yet to be passed by parliament , Transparency International writes: "More than 110 countries have already created freedom of information – Nonsense that this should not be possible in Austria." In Azerbaijan ,
6903-901: The contents, that held in a minister's office will be subject to the Act. The Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Act 2010 was passed in May 2010, and came into effect in November 2010. The changes were largely targeted at reducing the cost of the FOI applications, which had been criticized by journalists as "prohibitively costly" (Ricketson and Snell, 2002). Some of the changes to the Freedom of Information Amendment (Reform) Act 2010 for applications received on or after 1 November 2010 include : The Italian investigative journalist Stefania Maurizi described Australia as "the worst jurisdiction on earth when it comes to FOIA [Freedom of Information Act]". She had filed FOI requests with governments throughout
7020-427: The contracts and purchases made by month. The latter taking place slowly. A more modern law, the "Ley de transparencia y del derecho de acceso a la información pública nacional" its at its final stages. Article 23 of the constitution states that "Every person has the right to present petitions to the authorities for the general or private interest and to secure their prompt resolution. The legislative body may regulate
7137-500: The development of connectivity and affordable ICTs, including mobile, the Internet, and broadband infrastructures". Public access to government information, including through the open publication of information , and formal freedom of information laws , is widely considered an important basic component of democracy and integrity in government . Michael Buckland defines six types of barriers that have to be overcome in order for access to information to be achieved: identification of
SECTION 60
#17327719520017254-530: The development of online privacy regulations. In 2015 the European Court of Justice found that the so-called ‘Safe Harbour Agreement’, which allowed private companies to ‘legally transmit personal data from their European subscribers to the US’, was not valid under European law in that it did not offer sufficient protections for the data of European citizens or protect them from arbitrary surveillance. In 2016,
7371-408: The disclosure of which would result in the unreasonable disclosure of personal information about any individual person, including a deceased person. The request for access to a document must be in writing, and contain a reasonable amount of information about the requested document in order for it to be easier to locate. The application process can also incur charges. Upon receiving the application,
7488-481: The following states engage in pervasive internet censorship: Cuba , Iran , Maldives , Myanmar / Burma , North Korea , Syria , Tunisia , Uzbekistan and Vietnam . A widely publicised example is the so-called " Great Firewall of China " (in reference both to its role as a network firewall and to the ancient Great Wall of China ). The system blocks content by preventing IP addresses from being routed through and consists of standard firewall and proxy servers at
7605-705: The form of accusations of benefit fraud and "faking" their disability for financial gain, which in some cases leads to unnecessary investigations. Women's freedom of information and access to information globally is less than men's. Social barriers such as illiteracy and lack of digital empowerment have created stark inequalities in navigating the tools used for access to information, often exacerbating lack of awareness of issues that directly relate to women and gender, such as sexual health . There have also been examples of more extreme measures, such as local community authorities banning or restricting mobile phone use for girls and unmarried women in their communities. According to
7722-551: The global digital divide. A digital divide is an economic and social inequality with regard to access to, use of, or impact of information and communication technologies (ICT). The divide within countries (such as the digital divide in the United States ) may refer to inequalities between individuals, households, businesses, or geographic areas, usually at different socioeconomic levels or other demographic categories. The divide between differing countries or regions of
7839-420: The government agency or Minister who receives the application must take all reasonable steps to inform the applicant that their request has been received within 14 days, and must also notify the applicant of their decision in relation to the request within 30 days of receiving the request. If access has been refused wholly or in part, reasons must be provided to the applicant. However, not all documents, depend on
7956-522: The government. In Belize , the Freedom of Information Act was passed in 1998 was amended in 2000 and is currently in force, though a governmental commission noted that "not much use has been made of the Act". The National Assembly of Bhutan passed an RTI Bill in February 2014. Its purpose is to curb corruption by providing the public with the right to access information. Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)
8073-417: The high price of internet access presents a barrier to women since women are generally paid less and face an unequal dividend between paid and unpaid work. Cultural norms in certain countries may prohibit women from access to the internet and technology as well by preventing women from attaining a certain level of education or from being the breadwinners in their households, thus resulting in a lack of control in
8190-595: The household finances. However, even when women have access to ICT, the digital divide is still prevalent. A number of states, including some that have introduced new laws since 2010, notably censor voices from and content related to the LGBTQI community, posing serious consequences to access to information about sexual orientation and gender identity . Digital platforms play a powerful role in limiting access to certain content, such as YouTube's 2017 decision to classify non-explicit videos with LGBTQIA themes as 'restricted',
8307-839: The information. Registers and records processed electronically are excluded from the administrative documents that can be given access to. Section 10 outlines other areas excluded from access, such as records of meetings of the Council of State , minutes, as well as documents prepared for such meetings; correspondence between ministries concerning legislation and material used for scientific research or public statistics. Decision to grant or not to grant access can be appealed. Decisions can also be appealed externally to Folketingets Ombudsman. Ombudsman can also deliver opinions and review decisions; however, these are not binding even though generally followed. Ombudsman receives 200–300 complaints annually; approximately 15 percent of complaints are ruled in favour of appellants. The exemption regarding EU documents
8424-469: The internet and satellite television to better reach audiences across borders and have added specialist broadcasts to target specific foreign audiences. Reflecting a more outward looking orientation, China Global Television Network (CGTN), the multi-language and multi-channel grouping owned and operated by China Central Television , changed its name from CCTV-NEWS in January 2017. After years of budget cuts and shrinking global operations, in 2016 BBC announced
8541-619: The internet can hinder these things, due to lack of broadband access in remote rural areas. LGBT Tech has emphasized launching newer technologies with 5G technology in order to help close the digital divide that can cause members of the LGBTQIA community to lose access to reliable and fast technology that can provide information on healthcare, economic opportunities, and safe communities. There are also other factors that can prevent LGBTQIA members from accessing information online or subject them to having their information abused. Internet filters are also used to censor and restrict LGBTQIA content that
8658-403: The internet, up from 34 per cent in 2012. Despite the significant increase in absolute numbers, however, in the same period the annual growth rate of internet users has slowed down, with five per cent annual growth in 2017, dropping from a 10 per cent growth rate in 2012. The number of unique mobile cellular subscriptions increased from 3.89 billion in 2012 to 4.83 billion in 2016, two-thirds of
8775-491: The island, in which Cyprus is de facto divided. As to 2011, a research by the Open Cyprus Project showed that there was a level of 75% of administrative silence island-wide, in response to information requests. Over half of the respondents to this survey stated that, in practice, access to key documents is not possible. Since late 2013, a draft law on the Right to Access Public Information was being discussed in
8892-540: The launch of 12 new language services (in Afaan Oromo , Amharic , Gujarati , Igbo , Korean , Marathi , Pidgin , Punjabi , Telugu , Tigrinya , and Yoruba ), branded as a component of its biggest expansion ‘since the 1940s’. Freedom of Information Act 1982 The Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) is an Act of the Parliament of Australia which guarantees freedom of information (FOI) and
9009-465: The law to reach legal decisions relating to the public sector, to the extent of such authorisation. Access to Public Administration Files Act of 1985 is a Danish act passed by the Folketing concerning public access to governmental records. The Act came into force in 1987 and repealed the Public Records Act of 1970. New version of the Act came into force on 1 January 2014. Denmark is considered to be
9126-643: The majority of countries around the globe, 179 in total, had ratified the convention, which includes provisions for the protection of whistleblowers . Regional conventions against corruption that contain protection for whistle-blowers have also been widely ratified. These include the Inter-American Convention Against Corruption , which has been ratified by 33 Member States, and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption , which
9243-859: The manner and the timetable for the information to be given by the State. In Bulgaria , the Access to Public Information Act was passed in 2000, following a 1996 recommendation from the Constitutional Court to implement such a law. In Canada , the Access to Information Act allows citizens to demand records from federal bodies. The act came into force in 1983, under the Pierre Trudeau government, permitting Canadians to retrieve information from government files, establishing what information could be accessed, mandating timelines for response. This
9360-677: The official in charge of resolving the petition may be charged with misconduct. Access to official information is governed by the Official Information Act 2008 . The law is based heavily on the New Zealand legislation . In Croatia , the Zakon o pravu na pristup informacijama ( Act on the Right of Access to Information ) first introduced in 2003 extends to all public authorities. The right of access to information in Cyprus
9477-517: The only person of color in a small-town restaurant was met with racist and hateful messages. When reporting the online abuse to Facebook, her account was suspended by Facebook for three days for posting the screenshots while those responsible for the racist comments she received were not suspended. Shared experiences between people of color can be at risk of being silenced under removal policies for online platforms. Inequities in access to information technologies are present among individuals living with
9594-441: The perpetrators of a terror attack. Rapid changes in the digital environment , coupled with contemporary journalist practice that increasingly relies on digital communication technologies, pose new risks for the protection of journalism sources. Leading contemporary threats include mass surveillance technologies, mandatory data retention policies, and disclosure of personal digital activities by third party intermediaries. Without
9711-557: The potential to contribute to the vision of a ‘digital commons’ in which citizens can freely find, share, and re-use information. Promoting Free and open-source software , which is both free of cost and freely modifiable could help meet the particular needs of marginalized users advocacy on behalf of minority groups, such as targeted outreach, better provision of Internet access, tax incentives for private companies and organizations working to enhance access, and solving underlying issues of social and economic inequalities The World Summit on
9828-411: The power to intercept or decrypt encrypted communications . Since 2010, to increase the protection of the information and communications of their users and to promote trust in their services’. High-profile examples of this have been WhatsApp 's implementation of full end-to-end encryption in its messenger service, and Apple 's contestation of a law enforcement warrant to unlock an iPhone used by
9945-425: The present inequalities and lead to individuals living with disabilities being left behind in society. Issues such as the perception of disabilities in society, Federal and state government policy, corporate policy, mainstream computing technologies, and real-time online communication have been found to contribute to the impact of the digital divide on individuals with disabilities. People with disabilities are also
10062-503: The presentation of petitions to private organisations in order to guarantee fundamental rights." This article justifies the existence of a jurisdictional mechanism known a petition action. This action is regulated by the law 1755 of 2015 and is considered by the Colombian Judicial Doctrine as a fundamental human right. According to the law all petitions should be fully addressed in 15 business days. If not addressed
10179-401: The primacy of television as a main source of information is being challenged by the internet, while in other regions, such as Africa, television is gaining greater audience share than radio, which has historically been the most widely accessed media platform. Age plays a profound role in determining the balance between radio, television and the internet as the leading source of news. According to
10296-649: The private sector from their jurisdiction thus information held by the private sector cannot be accessed as a legal right. This limitation has serious implications because the private sector performs many functions which were previously the domain of the public sector. As a result, information that was previously public is now within the private sector, and the private contractors cannot be forced to disclose information. Other countries are working towards introducing such laws, and many regions of countries with national legislation have local laws. For example, all U.S. states have laws governing access to public documents belonging to
10413-463: The protection of freedom of speech as a right includes not only the content, but also the means of expression. Freedom of information is a separate concept which sometimes comes into conflict with the right to privacy in the content of the Internet and information technology . As with the right to freedom of expression, the right to privacy is a recognized human right and freedom of information acts as an extension to this right. The government of
10530-585: The protection of individuals with regard to automatic processing of personal data , has undergone a modernization process to address new challenges to privacy. Since 2012, four new countries belonging to the Council of Europe have signed or ratified the Convention, as well as three countries that do not belong to the Council, from Africa and Latin America. Regional courts are also playing a noteworthy role in
10647-451: The protection of sources, such as when they give governments the right to intercept online communications in the interest of overly broad definitions of national security. Developments in regards to source protection laws have occurred between 2007 and mid-2015 in 84 (69 per cent) of the 121 countries surveyed. The Arab region had the most notable developments, where 86 per cent of States had demonstrated shifts, followed by Latin America and
10764-433: The protection of the right to freedom of expression with regard to the Internet and information technology . Freedom of information may also concern censorship in an information technology context, i.e. the ability to access Web content , without censorship or restrictions . According to Kuzmin and Parshakova, access to information entails learning in formal and informal education settings. It also entails fostering
10881-509: The public administration; electricity and heating utilities as well as private bodies receiving public funding or performing public function can be acquired. Yet, the information concerning activities of judicial branch and legislators is not accessible. Reasons do not have to be given while making a request; however, the authorities can ask for additional information regarding document. The requests are supposed to be handled as soon as possible; if within period of 10 days response to an application
10998-429: The question of which subset group is protected is presented, the correct answer was white men. Minority group language is negatively impacted by automated tools of hate detection due to human bias that ultimately decides what is considered hate speech and what is not. Online platforms have also been observed to tolerate hateful content towards people of color but restrict content from people of color. Aboriginal memes on
11115-564: The racial divide. Hate-speech rules as well as hate speech algorithms online platforms such as Facebook have favored white males and those belonging to elite groups in society over marginalized groups in society, such as women and people of color. In a collection of internal documents that were collected in a project conducted by ProPublica, Facebook's guidelines in regards to distinguishing hate speech and recognizing protected groups revealed slides that identified three groups, each one containing either female drivers, black children, or white men. When
11232-462: The right of access to information being produced or held by public sector. The rules contained in this law are designated to ensure the public access to information, in the framework of assuming the rights and freedoms of the individual in practice, as well as establishing views on the state and society situation. This law aims also at encouraging integrity, transparency and accountability of the public sector bodies. Every person shall, where deemed that
11349-428: The right of access to public information through Law 57 of 1985 which thereby mandates the publishing of acts and official documents. This is implemented and applies to documents that belong to official facilities (offices or the like). Additionally there is the anti corruption statement of Law 190 of 1955 also known as anti corruption act which in its 51st article mandates public offices to list in visible area all
11466-564: The right to access documents about the operation of government departments and documents that are in the possession of government Ministers or agencies (Freedom of Information Act 1982). Certain documents are exempt from this, including (but not limited to) documents detailing Cabinet deliberations or decisions; documents disclosing trade secrets; or documents that could damage national security, defence, or international relations, or any document that could damage Commonwealth-State relations. The Act protects personal privacy by exempting documents
11583-474: The right to privacy, can interfere with other human rights, including the right to freedom of expression and to hold opinions without interference’. Number of regional efforts, particularly through the courts, to establish regulations that deal with data protection, privacy and surveillance, and which affect their relationship to journalistic uses. The Council of Europe ’s Convention 108, the Convention for
11700-657: The right to the protection of personal data with the right to freedom of expression and information, as enshrined in Article 11 of the Charter." The number of countries around the world with data protection laws has also continued to grow. According to the World Trends Report 2017/2018, between 2012 and 2016, 20 UNESCO Member States adopted data protection laws for first time, bringing the global total to 101. Of these new adoptions, nine were in Africa, four in Asia and
11817-550: The rights of access to official documents of the Commonwealth Government and of its agencies to members of the public. It was passed by the Australian Parliament on 9 March 1982, and commenced on 1 December 1982. Before the Act's implementation the various governments of Australia had no obligation to release information to the public, because the traditional Westminster system of governance
11934-524: The rights provided for in this law have been violated, be entitled to file a complaint administratively to the Information and Data Protection Commissioner's Office. In Argentina , the Access to public information Act (Ley 27.275) was adopted in 2016. The Law on Freedom of Information was unanimously approved by the Parliament on 23 September 2003 and went into force in November 2003. In Australia ,
12051-514: The source, availability of the source, price of the user, cost to the provider, cognitive access, acceptability. While "access to information", "right to information", " right to know " and "freedom of information" are sometimes used as synonyms, the diverse terminology does highlight particular (albeit related) dimensions of the issue. Freedom of information is related to freedom of expression , which can apply to any medium, be it oral, writing, print, electronic, or through art forms. This means that
12168-409: The state and local taxing entities. Additionally, the U.S. Freedom of Information Act governs record management of documents in the possession of the federal government. A related concept is open meetings legislation, which allows access to government meetings, not just to the records of them. In many countries, privacy or data protection laws may be part of the freedom of information legislation;
12285-699: The strengthening the project of the Open Government; the list of institutions covered by the Act was extended as well as list of public-private institutions and companies. Hipólito Mejía approved Ley No.200-04 – Ley General de Libre Acceso a la Información Pública ( Law number 200-04 – Law on Access to Information ) on 28 July 2004, which allows public access to information from the government and private organisations that receive public money to conduct state business. Rough drafts and projects that are not part of an administrative procedure are not included. Freedom of information Freedom of information
12402-500: The stronger societies become'. The increasing access to and reliance on digital media to receive and produce information have increased the possibilities for States and private sector companies to track individuals’ behaviors, opinions and networks. States have increasingly adopted laws and policies to legalize monitoring of communication, justifying these practices with the need to defend their own citizens and national interests. In parts of Europe, new anti-terrorism laws have enabled
12519-457: The targets of online abuse. Online disability hate crimes have increased by 33% within the past year across the UK according to a report published by Leonard Cheshire.org. Accounts of online hate abuse towards people with disabilities were shared during an incident in 2019 when model Katie Price's son was the target of online abuse that was attributed to him having a disability. In response to the abuse,
12636-621: The work of the Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development , co-chaired by UNESCO, and the Internet Governance Forum ’s intersessional work on ‘Connecting the Next Billion' are proof of the international commitments towards providing Internet access for all. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), by the end of 2017, an estimated 48 per cent of individuals regularly connect to
12753-661: The world is referred to as the global digital divide , examining this technological gap between developing and developed countries on an international scale. Although many groups in society are affected by a lack of access to computers or the internet, communities of color are specifically observed to be negatively affected by the digital divide. This is evident when it comes to observing home-internet access among different races and ethnicities. 81% of Whites and 83% of Asians have home internet access, compared to 70% of Hispanics, 68% of Blacks, 72% of American Indian/Alaska Natives, and 68% of Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders. Although income
12870-497: The world's population. But the digital divide continues to exclude over half of the world's population, particularly women and girls, and especially in Africa and the least developed countries as well as several Small Island Developing States . Further, individuals with disabilities can either be advantaged or further disadvantaged by the design of technologies or through the presence or absence of training and education . Access to information faces great difficulties because of
12987-430: The world’s population, with more than half of subscriptions located in Asia and the Pacific. The number of subscriptions is predicted to rise to 5.69 billion users in 2020. As of 2016, almost 60 per cent of the world’s population had access to a 4G broadband cellular network, up from almost 50 per cent in 2015 and 11 per cent in 2012. The limits that users face on accessing information via mobile applications coincide with
13104-500: Was invited to the initial discussions but did not take part in the initiative. Harrington Investments , which proposed that Cisco establish a human rights board, has dismissed the GNI as a voluntary code of conduct not having any impact. Chief executive John Harrington called the GNI "meaningless noise" and instead calls for bylaws to be introduced that force boards of directors to accept human rights responsibilities. Jo Glanville, editor of
13221-403: Was not provided, the authority has to inform on reasons for the delay as well as expected date for a decision. More detailed procedures are not laid down in the Act. Access to information is limited by “the obligation to maintain secrecy.” Considerations of State security, defence, foreign policy, external economic interests as well as public financial interests can limit the granting of access to
13338-651: Was published by the DC-based public interest group Fress Press. The report concludes that structural barriers and discrimination that perpetuates bias against people of different races and ethnicities contribute to having an impact on the digital divide. The report also concludes that those who do not have internet access still have a high demand for it, and reduction in the price of home-internet access would allow for an increase in equitable participation and improve internet adoption by marginalized groups. Digital censorship and algorithmic bias are observed to be present in
13455-854: Was ratified by 36 UNESCO Member States. In 2009, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Council adopted the Recommendation for Further Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. According to the World Trends Report , access to a variety of media increased between 2012 and 2016. The internet has registered the highest growth in users supported by massive investments in infrastructure and significant uptake in mobile usage. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development,
13572-467: Was taken out of the Act in 1991. Amendments were also made in 2000; they concerned data on the employees of the Government. In January 2014 new Public Records Act was enforced. The new act was highly debated since it was considered to limit transparency in the Government and legislative proceedings; Denmark received one point less in the category of Political Environment when compared with the Freedom of
13689-526: Was the first country in the Balkan region to adopt a Freedom of Information Act. Freedom of Access to Information Act or FOIA – was adopted by the Parliament Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 17 November 2000. Both federal entities – the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – passed freedom of information laws in 2001, the Freedom of Access to Information Act for
#999