INFORMATION POLICY

"Intellectual freedom is the only guarantee of a scientific-democratic approach to politics, economic development, and culture." -- Andrei Sakharov (1921-1989).

"The best weapon of a dictatorship is secrecy; the best weapon of a democracy is openness." -- Edvard Teller (1908- ).

"Intellectual freedom is the right of every individual to both hold and express opinions and to seek and receive information. Intellectual freedom is the basis of democracy. Intellectual freedom is the core of the library concept." -- IFLA/FAIFE (Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression)

"Existing libraries, in their very being, seem to question the authority of those in power." -- Alberto Manguel. (1948- )

"The information revolution continues to penetrate every aspect of daily life around the globe, affecting everything from national security to personal privacy, from economic competitiveness to democratic participation in governance." -- Harvard Information Infrastructure Project

"Public ownership of information created by the federal government is an essential right." -- U.S. National commission on Libraries and Information Science.

Guiding Questions for Discussion

• What is information policy?
  
  
• What are government roles and responsibilities relative to information?
  
  
• How has digitization of information and development of Internet and other information technologies created a information policy research agenda?
  
  
• What are the current information policy issues?
  
  
• Who are the stakeholders?
  
  
• Where can I find further information about these topics?
  
  

Information Policy definition. the set of rules, formal and informal, that directly restrict, encourage, or otherwise shape flows of information. Information policy addresses, among other issues, the following:

• literacy
• privatization and "corporatization" of government information
• universal information access
• protection of personal privacy
• intellectual property rights
• access to learning and information resources
• ...

Public policy issue: a fundamental enduring conflict among and between objectives, goals, customs, plans, activities and stakeholders, not likely to be resolved completely in favor of any polar position in that conflict, but changes in environment may require striking a fresh balance among conflicting forces from time to time.

Government Roles and Responsibilities for Information.

• To provide information
  
  
• to produce and maintain information that meets specific information needs
  
  
• to protect the privacy of personal data
  
  
• to make decisions about which information to disseminate and how to dissiminate it effectively
  
  
• to regulate communication systems
  
  
• to support libraries and schools
  
  
• to classify information related to national security
  
  
• to clarify interrelationships among stakeholders in information sector, e.g., the extent to which information is:
  • a social good - Society depends on members sharing a common base of information

  • a commodity - a property which can have economic value and can be owned, bought and sold

  • a capital investment leading to increased productivity

  • an instrument of government -- necessary for such functions, as the census, collecting taxes, catching and prosecuting criminals, protecting public health, distributing social benefits, issuing licenses, etc.

A recent article summarizes current U.S. information policy as it is embodied in many diferent policies, directives and regulations. The author champions the values of librarians -- "toleration, respect for truth, appreciation for quality, dedication to the common good, and a concern of the well-being of those who are less affluent" -- and points to the problems of a free market approach to creating a model national information infrastructure. Please read:

Dalton, Margaret Stieg, "Old Values for the New Information Age," Library Journal (November 1, 2000): 43-46.

A second reading discusses the global public policy agenda and how it relates to national prosperity. In this chapter from his book, David Skryme identifies a number of global initiatives designed to support technology-based moves toward an information or knowledge society and to resolve technology-caused problems (e.g., inequity, lack of privacy). Principles for electronic commerce supported by commercial interests are presented here on p. 257. Are these in the public interest? Efforts on the part of the European Union, the World Trade Organization and the World Bank plus initiatives from various countries and high-tech regions are outlined. Please read:

Skryme, DAvid J., "The Public Policy Agenda," pp. 243-268 of his Knowledge Networking; Creating the Collaborative Enterprise,. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1999.

The Department of Commerce recently put forward a proposal to close the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) because of its failure to be self-supporting and the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (NCLIS) was asked to examine the possible consequences of that closure. Its final report, dated Jan. 26, 2001, has just been released. The executive summary of the 242 page study is available at http://www.nclis.gov/govt/assess/assess.execsum.pdf entitled "A Comprehensive Assessment of Public Information Dissemination." The report addresses the broad issues underlying public information dissemination policy and will be a useful case study.

Digitization of Information and Internet Development. Computers, networks, and information complement one another. Investment and use of one leverages demand for the others (Kahin).

Some of the changes wrought by information technology include:

• Digital telephony -- new opportunities for technological surveillance and wiretapping (cordless phones, cellular phones, digital encoding, computer-based switches, use of internet for phone service

• Computer file matching -- for ex., for credit checking, in which information collected and stored in one Federal data system is matched with that in other

• Computer based trading on stock market

• Electronic funds transfer (EFT) and Electronic data interchange (EDI)

• Trans-border data flow

• Office automation and nature of work -- employment and training issues

Information Issues:

• Public Access - includes many sub-issues:
  • degree of bibliographic control over types and formats
  • stability of information published on the Internet
  • impact of pricing policies & user fees
  • impact of distribution based on dissemination mechanisms
  • equity of access related to ability to pay
  • priorities for info dissemination
  • role of depository libraries, GPO, NTIS
  • closing the "Digital Divide," (efforts to provide everyone with access to the Internet

• Confidentiality or Privacy of Information: the right of people in institution to control what information is known about them and who knows it
  • individual's "natural right" to privacy
  • corporation's right to protect proprietary information

• Intellectual property rights
• Freedom of speech

Some value conflicts:

• privacy vs collection of personal data

• information markets vs. government dissemination of information

• information as a public resource vs. need for secrecy

Further Information about Information Policy

• The Benton Foundation
  Its purpose is "to to realize the social benefits made possible by the public interest use of communications. Digital Voices is a free online editorial service.

• Closing the Digital Divide; digitaldivide.gov
  "A clearinghouse for information about efforts to provide all Americans with access to the Internet and other information technologies that are crucial to their economic growth and personal advancement."

• epic.org - Electronic Privacy Information Center
  See its report of privacy law in over 50 countries of the world.

• Global Information Infrastructure Commission
  "The mission of the Global Information Infrastructure Commission is to foster private sector leadership and private-public sector cooperation in the development of information networks and services to advance global economic growth, education and quality of life." -- the private sector view.

• Harvard Information Infrastructure Project
  See especially the HIIP Information Policy Gateway

• IFLA/FAIFE - Free Access to Information and Freedom of Expression.
  The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions' new initiative to defend and promote basic human rights through the promotion of free access to information. See Libraries and Intellectual Freedom for IFLA's statement about the right to know and the commitment to intellecutal freedom as a core responsibility for the library and information profession.

• International Telecommunications Union
  -- "the leading publisher of telecommunication technology, regulatory and standards information."

• "The Internet Society (ISOC)
  The Society's mission statement is: "To assure the open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world." One of its units, the Internet Societal Task Force (ISTF) is charged to identify ways the Internet can be a positive force in social and economic dimensions.

• Internet 2 Project.
  Initiated in Oct. 1996. Universities, government and industry to create next generation of the internet. Copyright 1997-2000.

• UNESCO Observatory on the Information Society
  "The Observatory's main objectives are to raise awareness on the constant evolution of ethical, legal and societal challenges brought about by new technologies. " Check topic "Access to public domain -- Online governance" for national policy documents on freedom of information from countries around the world.
  
  ©: Evelyn Daniel,
  All rights reserved.
  Page revised 2/6/2001.