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Red Flags
You Know you Have a Problem With FOI When:
A privacy coalition forms in your community or your state, perhaps in
advance of an upcoming legislative session.
Newspapers receive a wave of letters or commentaries calling for more
protection of personal privacy.
An elected official – governor, attorney general, legislator –
calls for a special task force to address public access to government information.
(NOTE: Such studies may be required by the law and, even if they aren’t,
can be very productive in improving FOI laws and policies. However, FOI advocates
should insist that their viewpoint is represented on any commission and that
the leadership is not biased toward an anti-access view.)
A government agency announces a new policy to close certain records or
institute new procedures for requesting records.
A government entity attempts to muzzle frequent “gadflies”
or critics.
A judge suddenly closes a court proceeding and orders all observers
out. (NOTE: Remember that courts are not subject to open meetings laws. However,
any time a court proceeding is closed, journalists should make sure the judge
has followed procedure and explain the rules surrounding courtroom closures
to the public. The media also should be active in challenging courtroom closures
that they believe are unwarranted or improper.)
Government files, which had been available, suddenly become unavailable.
A government employee wants to know “why you want” information
or records.
A government agency increases the price of copies or duplication.
A government agency (or a local government) purchases a new computer
system that stores information in a new format. (A format incompatible with
yours.)
Meetings of deliberative bodies are held without notice.
Regularly scheduled meetings are re-scheduled to new times.
Meetings are held without printed agendas.
A government council, committee, or other decision-making body holds
frequent “executive sessions” without fully explaining why.
Minutes from meetings are not available.
Your local television station or newspaper does a big “Don’t
Let This Happen to You” story warning about potential violations of people’s
privacy.
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Open Doors: Accessing Government Records
Introduction
FOI Basics
FOI and the Courts
FOI and Privacy
FOI and Your Life
FOI and Daily News Coverage
Red Flags
FOI A to Z
Resources
Purchase a Copy
Freedom of Information
About/History
FOI Alerts
News/Articles
Covering Prisons
Project Sunshine: Find FOI Help
Accessing Government Records
Shield Law Campaign
FOI Audit Tookit | PDF
Anti-SLAPP: Protect Free Speech
Official Secrets Act bill
FOI Groups
Annual FOI Reports
FOI Committee Roster
Links/Resources
Message Board
FOI FYI:
SPJ's FOI Committee Blog
• New Zealand media, AP, stand united against cricket censorship
• Journalism coalition urges Obama to foster openness
• Court dockets can no longer be secret in 3rd Circuit
FOI Committee
This committee is the watchdog of press freedoms across the nation. It relies upon a network of volunteers in each state organized under Project Sunshine. These SPJ members are on the front lines for assaults to the First Amendment and when lawmakers attempt to restrict the public's access to documents and the government's business. The committee often is called upon to intervene in instances where the media is restricted.
Freedom of Information Committee Chair
David Cuillier
Assistant Professor
Department of Journalism
University of Arizona
Marshall Building, Room 323
Tucson, AZ 85721-0158
Work: 520/626-9694
Fax: 520/621-7557
E-mail
Bio (click to expand)
David Cuillier, a former newspaper reporter and editor, is an assistant professor in the Department of Journalism at the University of Arizona. He researches public attitudes toward freedom of information and is one of the SPJ newsroom trainers for acquiring government documents.
Joe Adams, vice chair
Editorial writer
The Florida Times-Union
One Riverside Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32202
Work: 904-359-4534
Fax: 904-359-4390
E-mail
Bio (click to expand)
Joe Adams is an editorial writer at The Florida Times-Union and author of The Florida Public Records Handbook published by the First Amendment Foundation in Tallahassee.
Eight universities in Florida have used the book as a textbook, the only one of its kind in the nation, and more than 1,000 journalists have attended his workshops on how to use public records for success. He is the recipient of the national 2007 Eugene S. Pulliam First Amendment Award sponsored by the Sigma Delta Chi Foundation and has earned two national Sunshine Awards from the Society of Professional Journalists. In December 2000, Presstime magazine profiled him as one of the top 20 under 40 newspaper industry professionals to watch in the future.
As an editorial writer, Adams has received awards from the Florida Press Club, Florida Society of Newspaper Editors and the Society of Professional Journalists. His year of public records research of the Jacksonville City Council uncovered widespread open meetings abuses. The resulting work by Adams and the newsroom inspired a grand jury probe and prompted the council in 2007 to create the state's first known local ordinance to ensure better compliance with Florida's Sunshine Law. He is originator of the www.iDigAnswers.com Web site about Florida FOI news and public records use.
Adams is founder and past coordinator of Times-Union University, the Jacksonville newspaper's newsroom training program, and is also former director of the National Newspaper Diversity Job Bank on the Internet. He also taught information gathering for two years as an adjunct professor at the University of North Florida.
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