In an era of demands for greater accountability in higher education, an increasingly polarized political environment, and scandals such as that at Penn State, access to information is becoming everyone's business, affecting public and independent institutions alike. Although Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) demands are often annoying or…

Discusses exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act that prevent disclosure of some types of corporate information supplied to the federal government. Examines case law that has developed around these exemptions and gages the degree to which they block access to corporate information held by the government. (GW)

Lawsuits illustrate the increasing concern over national security in regulating the security classification system, and government attitudes toward information have shifted from secrecy to openness to censorship. The Central Intelligence Agency's suppression of unclassified printed information is a case in point. (SW)

Reviews the background of the Forsham v Harris case and discusses the implications of the Supreme Court's ruling that research records and data of federally funded grantees are not considered federal agency records subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act. (Author/GC)

Argues that government has a commitment to protect the right of the public to government information. Maintains that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is of value in protecting that right, and that some proposed categorical exemptions from FOIA disclosure requirements are unjustified. (Author/MJL)

Two recent judicial and governmental developments appear to tip the scales in favor of the confidentiality of intelligence sources and methods at the expense of any "right of access" to government information. The implementation of the Reagan Administration's Executive Order governing the classification of national security information…

Discusses events that led to the passage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) of 1966. Problems and abuses associated with the law are described with excerpts of the law regarding required disclosures, disclosure under FOIA, fees, and subjects not available under FOIA. Seventeen references are listed. (CHC)

Examines the extent to which the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) enables access to information about federally funded university research. Concludes that information on government research grants is covered by the FOIA only if a government agency has possession. (RS)

In 1979, "The Washington Post" brought suit against the State Department to compel the release of certain passport information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The State Department had refused release under the "similar files" clause of the Act's Exemption 6, stating that release would be an invasion of privacy. In…

Exemption 4 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) protects from disclosure by government agencies privileged and confidential trade secrets and commercial or financial information. Based on early Exemption 4 litigation, courts have devised a "substantial competitive harm test" to decide whether requested information should be covered…

To help individuals, groups, and organizations obtain federal government records on themselves and others, this guidebook interprets the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act. The acts provide access to government data, personal records, and business information. The guidebook presents the texts of both acts, with…

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) eliminated the "need to know" requirement for access to information, requiring agencies to give notice of file contents and make records available to all persons. Agencies are required to make available final opinions, statements of policy and interpretations, and staff manuals that affect a member…

The Freedom of Information Act and related decisions protect some but not all materials generated by scientists receiving federal grants. Interests affected by disclosure and nondisclosure are analyzed and solutions are suggested. (Available from: Box 7, Columbia University School of Law, 435 W. 116th St., New York, NY 10027, $6.00.) (MSE)

Journalists and other investigators are daily using declassified government documents to shed light on historical and current events, but few have discovered how to tap the wealth of documents once classified but now in the public realm. An executive order from President Reagan eliminating declassification procedures and allowing released…

The first of two articles is an overview of the contexts in which secrecy is applied to business information as a matter of public policy. The second covers restrictions on dissemination of scientific and technical information including statutory and administrative mechanisms for its control, and implications of the current system. (Author/EM)