thoughtsignals

Here’s another thing worth celebrating on July 4th: The Freedom of Information Act.

U.S. government documents used to be considered secret unless individual agencies decided to release them.

But on July 4, 1966, that presumption was inverted when the Freedom of Information Act was signed into law, declaring that in a government of, by and for the people, government records must be released to the public upon request, unless those records meet a handful of defined exemptions.

Over the last four decades, FOIA (pronounced “foy-ya”) has become one of the most important laws creating openness and transparency in government. It’s a key tool for journalists and nonprofit groups investigating the workings of the federal government.

Happy Independence Day!

Link.