How do we balance privacy and access in making public records policy in the era of electronic government?
The following principles are a suggested starting place. The full text can be found in the attachment The Public Record: Information Privacy and Access, A New Framework for Finding the Balance by Cate and Varn. 1. Policymakers Should Identify and Evaluate Conflicting Interests Decisions regarding privacy and access inevitably affect and are affected by other important interests. These interests are often socially valuable and deeply held. It is therefore essential that any policymaking process identify and examine those interests carefully to determine how they are implicated by a proposed law or regulation and to what extent they can and should be accommodated. In addition to the broad concepts of “privacy” and “access,” those interests often include, but are not limited to, concerns about: Equality: Equal and open access to public records helps level the playing field in such endeavors as issue advocacy, lobbying, and elections. It also gives small and start-up businesses access to s
