Can Someone Explain What Freedom Of Information Act Of 1966 Is Approximately?

[jung-hwa75]

I uncover out about it in a number of sites but i dont get what it accomplished... so i'd like to clarify what I comprehend so a lot. Men and women compained they have the best to realize exactly what the government does like sensitive and private subjects. So the act have been signed by President lyndon to aid make the files public?Around they dont request these files presently? and exactly why is there the privacy act of 1974? somebody please explian this

[bergin]

FOI Act of 1966 is Federal Act which governs how previously undisclosed federal documents are requested or ... in some cases exempted from disclosure.  See Freedom of Information Act of 1966.  Many other states have implemented similar rules to cover open meetings and full disclosure of public documents, attempting to eliminate back-room deals and hold public official accountable for their private behavior. The Privacy Act of 1974 prevents the government from revealing records about you without your prior consent.  As with FOIA there are exceptions. Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_Information_Act_(United_States) gregjehl 80 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[wethrby]

in some cases exempted from disclosure.  See Freedom of Information Act of 1966.  Many other states have implemented similar rules to cover open meetings and full disclosure of public documents, attempting to eliminate back-room deals and hold public official accountable for their private behavior. The Privacy Act of 1974 prevents the government from revealing records about you without your prior consent.  As with FOIA there are exceptions.

[Forester]

The United States was founded on the idea of freedom for the individual, as long as it doesn't harm other individuals. With freedom in mind, then, Johnson signed the 1966 Freedom of Information Act to create a way that Americans can ask the government for copies of information that it has and that the government hasn't released before. The Act defines what records can be disclosed, outlines what you have to do to get the information, and lists nine kinds of information you can't ask for. All of which means that the act says that if you ask for federal governmental information, the federal agency in question has to give it to you if you file the right paperwork or the agency will face various fines and penalties unless the information falls into certain categories. Exempt categories include: Stuff the President has said has to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and that he/she has had classified as such.Stuff that just covers the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency.Stuff where a specific law has been passed that says it can't be disclosed.Stuff considered to be trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person that is privileged or confidential.Stuff written between or inside agencies such as memoranda or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.Stuff that is private, including personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.Stuff compiled for law enforcement purposes if it could mess up an arrest or trial if released, if it could deprive someone of a fair trial, if it is an invasion of personal privacy, if it identifies a confidential source, if it is stuff about how law enforcement does its work especially if someone could use it to help them break the law, or if it would put someone in danger(think Valerie Plame).Stuff that tells you a financial institution's private business(you can guess bank robbers would love to get that information.Stuff that oil companies want to keep private from other oil companies, such as private geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.The Privacy Act of 1974 was passed because Nixon was a bad boy. It lets a person see records about himself/herself, gives them the right to fix it if it is wrong, and lets a person sue the government if they let just anyone else see it without written permission from the person it is about.Again there are exceptions. Personal information can still be used without your written consent by the Census Bureau, in criminal investigations, in congressional investigations, for historical purposes, and as part of routine business within an agency(like the IRS).So, I hope that helps.

[Janie]

When I worked for a scientific research laboratory operated under contract to the US government, we were always told, and acted as if, the same applied to us, although I'm not positive that's true.(We thought of ourselves as good guys, so to us it meant that we wouldn't make a fuss if someone ever asked, because we believed they could always go to court and make us hand it over.) Of course this does not apply to documents classified for security reasons(like the exact recipe for an atomic bomb). The law tries to prevent fishing expeditions by requiring that a specific document be described. If you can describe a document, there is a bureaucratic procedure, and if that fails, you can take it to court. Apparently a large number of FOI requests are made by veterans seeking information about the benefits they are due. LBJ signed it because of intense lobbying by journalists and some members of Congress. He personally hated the idea, but when he saw that it would cost him too much politically to resist, he turned around and pretended he thought it was a great idea. You can read more about the history here and here, with more good information(including some famous examples) here.

[tomeo]

The 1966 Act sets up ways to get federal information; The 1974 Act lets you see your own files and fix them. The United States was founded on the idea of freedom for the individual, as long as it doesn't harm other individuals. With freedom in mind, then, Johnson signed the 1966 Freedom of Information Act to create a way that Americans can ask the government for copies of information that it has and that the government hasn't released before. The Act defines what records can be disclosed, outlines what you have to do to get the information, and lists nine kinds of information you can't ask for. All of which means that the act says that if you ask for federal governmental information, the federal agency in question has to give it to you if you file the right paperwork or the agency will face various fines and penalties unless the information falls into certain categories. Exempt categories include: Stuff the President has said has to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy and that he/she has had classified as such.Stuff that just covers the internal personnel rules and practices of an agency.Stuff where a specific law has been passed that says it can't be disclosed.Stuff considered to be trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person that is privileged or confidential.Stuff written between or inside agencies such as memoranda or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.Stuff that is private, including personnel and medical files and similar files the disclosure of which would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.Stuff compiled for law enforcement purposes if it could mess up an arrest or trial if released, if it could deprive someone of a fair trial, if it is an invasion of personal privacy, if it identifies a confidential source, if it is stuff about how law enforcement does its work especially if someone could use it to help them break the law, or if it would put someone in danger(think Valerie Plame).Stuff that tells you a financial institution's private business(you can guess bank robbers would love to get that information.Stuff that oil companies want to keep private from other oil companies, such as private geological and geophysical information and data, including maps, concerning wells.The Privacy Act of 1974 was passed because Nixon was a bad boy. It lets a person see records about himself/herself, gives them the right to fix it if it is wrong, and lets a person sue the government if they let just anyone else see it without written permission from the person it is about.Again there are exceptions. Personal information can still be used without your written consent by the Census Bureau, in criminal investigations, in congressional investigations, for historical purposes, and as part of routine business within an agency(like the IRS).So, I hope that helps. Sources: Several articles in Wikipedia darwin? 80 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.

[Jefford]

It says that if you can describe a specific government document, you can compel its release. When I worked for a scientific research laboratory operated under contract to the US government, we were always told, and acted as if, the same applied to us, although I'm not positive that's true.(We thought of ourselves as good guys, so to us it meant that we wouldn't make a fuss if someone ever asked, because we believed they could always go to court and make us hand it over.) Of course this does not apply to documents classified for security reasons(like the exact recipe for an atomic bomb). The law tries to prevent fishing expeditions by requiring that a specific document be described. If you can describe a document, there is a bureaucratic procedure, and if that fails, you can take it to court. Apparently a large number of FOI requests are made by veterans seeking information about the benefits they are due. LBJ signed it because of intense lobbying by journalists and some members of Congress. He personally hated the idea, but when he saw that it would cost him too much politically to resist, he turned around and pretended he thought it was a great idea. You can read more about the history here and here, with more good information(including some famous examples) here. a_scientist 80 months ago Please sign in to give a compliment. Please verify your account to give a compliment. Please sign in to send a message. Please verify your account to send a message.