Freedom Of Information: the Key Value

1
Freedom Of Information the Key Value
LIBR 500 Foundations of Information
Technology Bill Mugford 26 January 2001
2
What does freedom of information mean?
3
It means

• Freedom of expression
• Not having to fear the consequences of expressing
  ones ideas, opinions, or artistic impulses
• In words, music, sculpture, or pictures

4
It means

• Freedom of access
• Not being prevented from reading, or seeing, or
  hearing anything that was created to communicate
  with the public

5
It also means

• Having some control over personal information
• The right to examine information about oneself
  kept by official bodies
• The right to enter objections into the record

6
Are there justifiable constraints on freedom of
information?
7
There are always hard cases for a civil
libertarian

• Language used as a weapon
• Slander and libel
• Incitement of hatred towards an identifiable
  group

8
Why is freedom of expression the key value?
9
Freedom of information can set people free. It is
essential to

• Democracy
• Religious freedom
• Scientific progress
• Social advancement
• Artistic development
• Human dignity

10
Why is freedom of information so vulnerable?
11
Freedom of information can

• Threaten the special interests of the powerful
• Challenge the status quo
• Confront people with facts or conditions they
  find distasteful, even disgusting
• Make people feel unsure of their values

12
To find out about a case of book-banning in
Surrey schools

• The Action Fund to Fight Book-banning

13
To contact organizations dedicated to freedom of
information

• Canadian Library Association
• BC Civil Liberties Association
• Canadian Civil Liberties Association
• American Library Association Office for
  Intellectual Freedom