Public Right to Know Vs. Individual Privacy
The Sunshine State has expansive Sunshine Laws, the popular name for legislation making records public. They reflect a strong public policy.
The internet has taken implementation of Sunshine Laws here in Florida and elsewhere to a new plane – a plane, some argue, that aids identity thieves and invades ordinary people’s privacy and, in some cases, makes them targets of violence and manipulation.
The issue is quite controversial and is fueling heated debate. As well it should.
A lot of the discussion really hinges on context. What type of information? Who is the custodian of the information?
The articles below represent a sampling of viewpoints and state laws and policies:
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