Freedom of Information

New Federal Agency Hits the Ground Running with Proactive Standards for the Release of Information
“A new federal agency is making a strong start out of the box by establishing a proactive policy of releasing information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). FOIA regulations published today by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) include an important clause committing the agency to proactively disclose the information it collects. The agency adopted the policy in response to a recommendation by OMB Watch.”
http://www.ombwatch.org/node/12118

League of California Cities Opposes State Open Data Legislation
“The League of California Cities said in a statement that it opposes proposed open data legislation in that state because it would “impose new duties and costs on public agencies at a time when they can ill afford them, under the guise of promoting greater government transparency.” In addition to requiring that state and local agencies make their records available for public inspection, the bill, SB 1002, would “authorize an agency, upon request, to provide a copy of an electronic record in a format in which the text in the electronic record is searchable by commonly used software.” The bill is backed by California Newspaper Publishers Association, SF Tech Dems, the California Faculty Association, California Teachers Association, Common Cause and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees.”
http://techpresident.com/news/22458/league-california-cities-opposes-state-open-data-legislation

Vein: Data.gov to spin off cities.data.gov
“The federal government wants to connect more with state and local governments on open government projects, said Chris Vein, deputy federal chief technology officer. To that end, data.gov will soon launch a spin-off platform called cities.data.gov.”
http://www.fiercegovernment.com/story/vein-datagov-spin-citiesdatagov/2012-06-26

Open City launches new civic app to map crime in Chicago
“Last year, Chicago-based open data wranglers Open City set a high bar for open government data visualizations and transparency websites. Today, Open City launched a new civic Web app at CrimeInChicago.org, adding to their growing portfolio of projects. Derek Eder, one of the co-founders of Open City, emailed in this morning to share news of Crime in Chicago. “The website offers an interactive data visualization of the 4.8 million crimes reported in Chicago over the last decade,” he wrote. “It lets citizens see crime trends around them, compare crime levels over the years and across city wards, and explore each ward’s homicides, robberies, assaults and dozens of other crimes.””
http://gov20.govfresh.com/open-city-launches-new-civic-app-to-map-crime-in-chicago/

FOIA request forces DoJ to reveal National Security Letter templates
“As the result of a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Department of Justice has revealed, for the first time, the types of secret letters that the government can send out to ISPs and other tech companies being asked to reveal personal data about their users and customers who are being investigated for national security reasons. In 2009, over 6,000 Americans received such National Security Letters (NSLs). According to the Wall Street Journal, the “letters show that the FBI is now informing people who receive the letters how they can challenge the documents in court. But some key elements of the letters remain blocked from view—including lists of material the FBI says companies can send in response to the letter.””
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/06/foia-request-forces-doj-to-reveal-national-security-letter-templates/

Open Data Policy Guidelines
““Open Data” policies have been making their way through legislative bodies and executive orders with increasing frequency, especially since 2009. While those that have passed mark progress and serve as inspiration for other governments and advocates to approach this issue, we’re only just starting to really explore what open data policies can do, what broader issues they can address, and what open data can mean. To move forward in grappling with those questions, we’ve created this series of Guidelines for Open Data Policies.”
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2012/06/29/open-data-policy-guidelines/

Public Policy

Louisiana Eliminates State Aid to Public Libraries
“The Louisiana budget signed by Governor Bobby Jindal on June 15 eliminates almost $1 million in state aid to libraries, according to The Advocate. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne said Jindal excluded the $896,000 when he presented his proposed spending plan, and legislators failed to find funding for libraries during the regular session.”
http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/06/funding/louisiana-eliminates-state-library-funding/

Substance Abuse Librarians Raise the Alarm as Libraries Continue to Close
“Members of the Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists (SALIS) are calling for urgent action to halt the closure of specialist libraries and databases, before valuable resources and expertise are lost forever.   Since SALIS started actively campaigning against the closure of alcohol, tobacco and other drug (ATOD) libraries and databases eight years ago, more than twenty-five libraries and databases worldwide have been downsized or closed, their resources dispersed or destroyed.”
http://www.addictionjournal.org/viewpressrelease.asp?pr=175

Privacy Issues

Why won’t the Obama administration reveal how many Americans’ emails the NSA has collected and reviewed without a warrant?
“Since last year, a few members of Congress—led by Senator Ron Wyden—have been trying to get the Obama administration to answer a simple question: how many Americans’ phone calls or emails have been and are being collected and read without a warrant under the authority of the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 (FAA)?  Unfortunately, no one else in the government  seems to want that question answered.”
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2012/06/why-wont-obama-administration-reveal-how-many-americans-phone-calls-or-emails

Intellectual Property

UK Issues Tougher Draft Code For Online Copyright Infringement
“United Kingdom communications regulator Ofcom today published three documents on digital copyright infringement, including a draft code requiring large internet service providers (ISPs) to inform customers of allegations that their internet connection has been used to infringe copyright, and consultations on the code and on cost-sharing. Under the proposed code, ISPs would have to explain in the notifications the steps subscribers can take to protect their networks from being used to infringe copyright and tell them where they can go to find licensed content on the internet, Ofcom said.”
http://www.ip-watch.org/2012/06/26/uk-issues-tougher-draft-code-for-online-copyright-infringement/

International Outlook

Brazil’s Open-Government Shock Treatment
“Countries arrive at more transparency and greater freedom of information either through long training or sudden shock treatment. The U.S. experience, with decades of incremental law and legal precedent, is synonymous with the archetypical training regime. Brazil, on the other hand, is undergoing the epitome of shock treatment. In one month, May 2012, Brazil formally launched an ambitious freedom of information law that outlines a “right to information” – replete with provisions for the release of information in open, computer-readable formats – and, at around the same time, a new open-data portal. For added shock, the Brazilian government inaugurated a second new fundamental right, the “right to historical truth.” This right is embodied by the newly established Truth Commission, whose aim it is to reconcile abuses from the military dictatorship that controlled Brazil from 1964 to 1985. Brazil also currently occupies the co-chair of the Open Government Partnership. In short, Brazil is in the midst of a massive transparency offensive and there are positive signs that it is moving in the right direction.”
http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/22476/brazils-open-government-shock-treatment

Hamburg’s Transparency Law to open government more than ever
“The Beatles played their first concert in Hamburg. Hamburg’s harbour is one of Europe’s largest. Now Hamburg, one of Germany’s 16 federal states, also has one of the world’s best transparency laws. Passed in mid-June, the new law sets a precedent that might resonate in the worldwide open government community. The new 10-page Hamburg Transparency Law, was  passed through the parliament of city-state Hamburg with the support of all political parties. Observers rubbed their eyes since the legal implications are enormous. The law is so much more far-reaching than the most advanced information of freedom laws at national level.”
http://blog.transparency.org/2012/06/25/hamburgs-transparency-law-to-open-government-more-than-ever/

Open Data White Paper: Unleashing the Potential
“Today we publish our Open Data command paper, which sets out how we’re putting data and transparency at the heart of government and public services. We’re making it easier to access public data; easier for data publishers to release data in standardised, open formats; and engraining a ‘presumption to publish’ unless specific reasons (such as privacy or national security) can be clearly articulated. From the Prime Minister down, central Government is committed to making Open Data an effective engine of economic growth, social wellbeing, political accountability and public service improvement.”
http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/open-data-white-paper-unleashing-potential

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The Intersect Alert is a newsletter of the Government Relations Committee, San Francisco Bay Region Chapter, Special Libraries Association.