Administrative lawLesson 1 of 2 in the course Ombudsman and accountability

Freedom of Information, Digital Access, Privacy, and Online Rights

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

This lesson introduces freedom of information, its connection to human rights and democracy, and the practical barriers that can prevent people from accessing information.

Freedom of information is the freedom to publish and to access information. Access to information emphasizes a person's ability to seek, receive, and impart information effectively. The ideas are closely related, but the terms can highlight different aspects: a right to know may stress the public's entitlement, while freedom of information may stress the ability to communicate and obtain information.

All flashcards

What is freedom of information?
It is the freedom to publish and access information, including the ability to communicate and obtain information through different media.
What does Article 19 of the UDHR say about information?
It recognizes the right to receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
How does access to information support democracy?
It helps people understand government activity, take part in public life, and hold public institutions accountable.
What is cognitive access?
It is the ability to understand and use information, supported by suitable language, literacy, skills, and context.
Name Buckland's six barriers to access.
Identification of the source, availability of the source, price to the user, cost to the provider, cognitive access, and acceptability.

Quiz questions

  1. Which description best defines internet censorship?Answer: Control or suppression of publishing or accessing online information.
  2. What did the World Summit on the Information Society affirm about freedom of expression?Answer: Cross-border access and expression are essential to an inclusive Information Society.
  3. Beyond a legal basis, what should a restriction on a human right satisfy?Answer: A legitimate purpose, and necessity and proportionality.
  4. What best describes the Global Network Initiative?Answer: A multistakeholder initiative focused on freedom of expression and privacy.
  5. What does the Council of Europe's Convention 108 address?Answer: Protection of individuals in relation to automatic processing of personal data.

Based on the Wikipedia article Freedom of information, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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