How Does the Freedom of Information Act Affect Government Transparency?

[scott1]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The New York Times sued the U.S. Defense Department on Monday demanding that it hand over documents about the National Security Agency's domestic spying program.

For the information it discolsed(I thought they disclosed it)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/security_nsa_nytimes_dc
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=104278

 

[Hurkyl]

They really do think that they have the same authority as the government.
The government should be wiretapping them.

I don't follow...

 

[scott1]

I don't follow...

Nevermind I'll edit that...

 

[edward]

Nevermind I'll edit that...

Why the edit? I am sure that the govenment is wiretapping the NYT.

 

[SOS2008]

Per the article in the OP:

The Times had requested the documents in December under the Freedom of Information Act but sued upon being unsatisfied with the Pentagon's response that the request was "being processed as quickly as possible," according to the six-page suit filed at federal court in New York.

Public documents may be requested under the Freedom of Information Act by any public entity--an individual, corporation, organization, association, etc. At this time there are a flood of requests due to concern about NSA spying. In the case of the NYT, reporters made the request for research purposes.

The Freedom of Information Act (1966), for one, explicitly applies only to federal government agencies. These agencies are under several mandates to comply with public solicitation of information. Along with making public and accessible all bureaucratic and technical procedure for applying for documents from that agency, agencies are also subject to penalties for hindering the process of a petition for information.

However, there are nine exemptions...in all cases, the President has unlimited power in declaring something off-limits or necessarily classified in the concern of national safety. This loophole has presented numerous problems for individuals seeking information under the FOIA.

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The Privacy Act (1974) is, summarily, a similar act regulating government control of documents which concern a citizen. It gives one “ (1) the right to see records about [one]self, subject to the Privacy Act's exemptions, (2) the right to amend that record if it is inaccurate, irrelevant, untimely, or incomplete, and (3) the right to sue the government for violations of the statute including permitting others to see [one’s] records unless specifically permitted by the Act.” [V] In conjunction with the FOIA, the PA is used to further the rights of an individual gaining access to information held by the government.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_information_act

It will be interesting to see the outcome of the various requests and/or suits.