Blacked Out: Government Secrecy in the Information Age
Alasdair Roberts
Nearly forty years ago the US Congress passed the
landmark Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) giving the public the right to
government documents. This 'right to know' has been used over the past decades
to challenge overreaching Presidents and secretive government agencies. The
example of transparency in government has served as an example to nations
around the world spawning similar statutes in fifty-nine countries. This 2006
book examines the evolution of the move toward openness in government. It looks
at how technology has aided the disclosure and dissemination of information.
The author tackles the question of whether the drive for transparency has
stemmed the desire for government secrecy and discusses how many governments
ignore or frustrate the legal requirements for the release of key documents.
Blacked Out is an important contribution during a time where profound changes
in the structure of government are changing access to government documents.
