Category «Freedom of Information»

The State of Open Humanitarian Data 2023

A report by the UN’s Humanitarian Data Exchange. “This report was produced in February 2023 by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Centre for Humanitarian Data, which manages the Humanitarian Data Exchange (HDX) platform…In our fourth year of producing The State of Open Humanitarian Data, we can report the highest …

Subjects: E-Records, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Health Care, Knowledge Management, Poverty

Supreme Court justices discussed, but did not agree on, code of conduct

Washington Post: “…It remains an active topic at the court, these people said, and the court’s legal counsel Ethan Torrey prepared a working document of issues for them to consider. There is no timeline for the justices to act, however. Those familiar with the matter spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the situation. …

Subjects: Courts, Economy, Financial System, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation

EEAS Report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Threats

1st EEAS Report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference Threats. Towards a framework for networked defence, February 2023. “This first edition of the report on Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference threats is informed by the work of the European External Action Service’s (EEAS) Stratcom division 8 in 2022. It is the first of its kind …

Subjects: Censorship, Cybercrime, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research

I’m a teacher in Florida. Here’s what the DeSantis book bans look like in my classroom

The Guardian: “A new crackdown on books in Florida schools has had a chilling effect in classrooms. “I’m done! I’m done! What do I do now?” Every teacher, in every classroom, hears this many (thousands) of times daily from their students. In my classroom, for more than a decade, the answer has always been “Get …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Education, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Legal Research, Libraries

At the Supreme Court, ethics questions over a spouse’s business ties

The New York Times: “After Chief Justice John Roberts joined the Supreme Court, his wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, gave up her career as a law firm partner to become a high-end legal recruiter in an effort to alleviate potential conflicts of interest. Jane Roberts later recalled in an interview that her husband’s job made it …

Subjects: Courts, Economy, Financial System, Freedom of Information, Legal Research

Records Released In Response to Presidential Records Act (PRA) questions under the Trump Administration

NARA: “NARA officials are often consulted about the management of presidential and federal records. The Presidential Records Act governs access to records after the end of an administration. The National Archives received records from the Trump Administration, which ended on January 20, 2021. We are in the process of preserving and providing access to these records, including all …

Subjects: Congress, E-Government, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research, Legislation, Social Media

Do classified document revelations highlight problems at the National Archives?

The American Prospect – “Presidential Document Scandals Should Take Down America’s Secrecy Industry We classify way too many documents. Unfortunately, that will probably not be the takeaway from recent events. America has a problem with classified information. But this problem isn’t the one you’ve been hearing about for the past few weeks, with the revelations …

Subjects: Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries

Florida teachers told to remove books from classroom libraries or risk felony prosecution

My Sun Coast: “Manatee County Schools Spokesperson Michael Barber confirms that communication has been sent to principals of schools to vet books teachers have in their classroom. In December, House Bill 1467 stated that School Library and Instructional Materials requires school district to adopt procedures for determining and reviewing content for library media centers. This …

Subjects: Education, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Legislation, Libraries, Social Media

Justice – Official Site

Jezebel – “It’s been nearly five years since Brett Kavanaugh was confirmed to the Supreme Court by the Senate in a 50-48 vote—despite allegations of sexual misconduct by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Deborah Ramirez and about 4,500 other tips that the FBI seemingly just kind of ignored. Justice, a new documentary about the botched …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Courts, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Students want new books. Thanks to restrictions, librarians can’t buy them.

Washington Post: Schools are struggling to keep their shelves stocked as oversight by parents and school boards intensifies – “States and districts nationwide have begun to constrain what librarians can order. At least 10 states have passed laws giving parents more power over which books appear in libraries or limiting students’ access to books, a …

Subjects: Censorship, Civil Liberties, Education, Free Speech, Freedom of Information, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries

Biden’s New Open Government Plan Lays Out a Progressive Regulatory Reform Agenda

Center for Progressive Reform: “In case you missed it, the Biden administration capped off 2022 with the release of a new “open government” plan that aims to improve access to federal data and information, better engage the public in the regulatory process, and streamline delivery of government services and benefits. While the 21-page document — …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Freedom of Information, Government Documents, Legal Research

Unbanning Books: LJ’s 2023 Librarians of the Year

Library Journal: “Brooklyn Public Library’s Nick Higgins, Amy Mikel, Karen Keys, Jackson Gomes, and Leigh Hurwitz have been named LJ’s 2023 Librarians of the Year for their work on Books Unbanned, providing free ebook access to teens and young adults nationwide to help defy rising book challenges across the country. In 2022 Brooklyn Public Library’s Books Unbanned Team began …

Subjects: Censorship, Education, Freedom of Information, Internet, Knowledge Management, Legal Research, Libraries