Finding out what Uncle Sam has on you

By David E. Kaplan

Posted 3/10/06

The U.S. Freedom of Information Act is approaching its 40th birthday. Given that March 12 begins national Sunshine Week–an effort to cast light onto the growing recesses of government secrecy–U.S. News is providing links so its readers can file requests for federal records under the FOIA and its sister statute, the Privacy Act. The process is surprisingly simple.

Since the original U.S. act in 1966, more than 55 nations have passed freedom of information laws. Still, in too many countries, experts say, the presumption is that all records are secret until officials deem otherwise. In contrast, the U.S legislation, as generally interpreted, presumes that all government records should be public – unless officials can show very good reasons to exempt them, such as for protecting national security or law enforcement sources. If citizens are not satisfied, they can take the government to court and ask a judge to decide.