More FOIA Resources Including a FOIA Quiz from the Associated Press
Yesterday, I posted this item linking to a new investigative report from the AP about documents removed from public view since 9/11. Here are some interactive resources and stats from the AP regarding FOIA. 1) Take the AP "Records of Concern" Interactive Quiz Based on the AP story linked to yesterday. 2) Interactive Chart: Information Requested From Federal Agencies 1998-2005, Stats by agency and a look at slow responding agencies. 3) U.S. Government Agency FOIA Links 4) Interactive Map: State Laws on Information Access Cumulative Sunshine Laws, 2001-2005. Continue reading
IFLA Posts Country Reports From Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters
IFLA's Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters has posted country reports (PDF files) for the following countries. Committee on Copyright and other Legal Matters (CLM) - Country Reports 2006
- Canada
- China
- Denmark
- France
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Israel
- Japan
- Philippines
- Poland
- South Africa
- South Korea
- Sweden
- USA
More than 1 Million Pages of Historical Government Documents Removed from Public View Since 9/11
From the AP article: Government guards papers from public eye
More than 1 million pages of historical government documents -- a stack taller than the U.S. Capitol -- have been removed from public view since the September 2001 terror attacks, according to records obtained by The Associated Press. Some of the papers are more than a century old. In some cases, entire file boxes were removed without significant review because the government's central record-keeping agency, the National Archives and Records Administration, did not have time for a more thorough audit. "We just felt we couldn't take the time and didn't always have the expertise," said Steve Tilley, who oversaw the program. Archives officials are still screening records, but the number of files pulled recently has declined dramatically, he said.Continue reading
The Mobile Web in Action
At the beginning of the month I promised that most of my posts would be primarily focused on resources/documents/etc. (hopefully useful ones) along with a personal note or two. Today, a personal note. I am a firm believer that mobile or wireless access to information is only in its infancy. The question for this site as well as others is how will it play a role in government information. I mentioning this topic because I'm posting this note and the two notes prior to this one (via my laptop) from a train moving about 100mph on its way to Stamford, CT where I am speaking tomorrow. Let's be clear, I am NOT simply using my Treo 700P and its QWERTY keyboard to post. Qwerty keyboards are useful but after a while your fingers somehow seem to grow larger and typing becomes slower. :-) Instead, I am using my Treo Internet connection and porting it directly into my laptop. Since my 700P is using Sprint's EVDO network, I can not only post, check email, but I'm also listening to streaming audio. For those of you interested, here's the software. 1) Sync Cable or Blue Tooth 2) PDANet http://www.junefabrics.com Various versions available for various phones and carriers including a fully functioning trial version. Of course, I could go out a purchase a PCMCIA card and pay another fee but since I have Sprint's unlimited data plan, I do have (or at least to this point, have not) incurred any extra fees. p.s. JuneFabrics also has developed PDA Reach. Very useful!!! Continue reading
A Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Use of Section 215 Order for Business Records (Unclassified), March 2007
In addition to the DOJ IG report that was posted here, another report from the DOJ Inspector General was also placed online last week. + A Review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Use of Section 215 Order for Business Records (Unclassified), March 2007 (PDF; 10 MB)
We conducted this review mindful of the controversy concerning the possible chilling effect on the exercise of First Amendment rights posed by the FBI’s ability to use Section 215 authorities, particularly the potential use of Section 215 orders to obtain records held by libraries. Our review found that the FBI did not in fact obtain Section 215 orders for any library records from 2003 through 2005, in part because the few applications for such orders did not survive the review process within NSLB (National Security Law Branch) and OIPR (Office of Intelligence Policy and Review).Thanks, as always to my colleague Shirl Kennedy at DocuTicker.com for posting this report. Continue reading
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