Information Policy and Technology

As discussed with previous entries here, how information is distributed and the policies that govern it are in many ways always changing. Technology has a way of taking old methods and changing the whole landscape and how things are done. As we evolve as a society and adapt to new methods of transmitting information, the policies that govern it need be reexamined as well. Kristine Unsworth believes, " Information can be organized in any number of ways dependent on the needs of the individual or the community for which the scheme is designed."(Unsworth,2009). With that in mind, how do we go about defining information policies when new technologies like the Internet are a global community? Are policies going to be able to reflect the many varying opinions about what should be made available online?

Looking at governmental information, how do we decide on what information is made available online to the citizens of that nation, when you have an entire world that is able to access said information via new technologies. Can a governments of free nations provide information to its people in way that allows that them to use it to its fullest intent and also protects against certain types of information that may be a security risk? Unsworth further states, " In national security information policy, information is also organized with the goal of retrieval but is only accessible to those with a certain security-level clearance."(Unsworth, 2009). Taking that into consideration, does that stifle a democratic/free nations ability to provide information to its citizens because of fear of it getting into the wrong hands. Could this lead to more repressive measures on information in the name of national security? Many questions need to be asked and many different approaches will need to be explored until we can find a balance in these areas.

Fred W. Weingarten believes in terms of libraries, "Although information and communication policies are important to libraries, they have seldom been overly burdensome distractions to the community in the past." (Weingarten, 1996). Where libraries were once the beckon of free distribution of information, the Interent is having an affect as well on what libraries should be making available via their own websites. Weingarten further states, ". . .to the dismay of many, Congress and the courts have been considering what, if anything should or could be done to control speech on the Internet."(Weingarten,1996).  We must be careful to not limit our ability to share information freely in the name of security. There is a slippery slope there and once we tread down the path, it will become easier to justify banning anything one might find offensive or a security threat.

This issue will be one fought over and picked apart extensively, but hopefully there will be a happy median where the sharing of information and securing of certain information can be done. Until then, Libraries and Information centers will have to move forward with a trial and error approach to see what works best.

Andrew Juan Cano

Sources;

            Swanson, D. R. (1980). Evolution, libraries, and national information policy. The Library Quarterly, 50(1), 76-93. Retrieved fromhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/4307184

Unsworth, K. (2009). Ethical Concerns of Information Policy and Organization in National Security, Cataloging & Classification Quarterly. 47:7, 642-656. Accessed from Wayne State Univeristy on 28, March 2012.

Weingarten, F. W. (1996). Technological change and the evolution of information policy. American Libraries, 27(11), 45-77. Retrieved fromhttp://www.jstor.org/stable/25634248

The Joy of Information Overload

by Sarita Kiehm

     You've seen those search engine commercials? Someone is asked about a particular topic, say "cook" for example, and the next thing you know the inquirer is bombarded with a myriad of information ranging from Captain James Cook to cooking shows to... well you get the idea. At your fingertips lie the collective knowledge of mankind. We live in a world where modern technology enables anyone anywhere to access information anytime of the day. The fact that I'm writing this in a public forum is a prime example. Just think that tomorrow at 2am a college student in Toronto might be reading this and glean some ideas for a report on "national information policy" too. There are no boundaries in today's information overloaded world. However, there is a flip side to this. A lack of privacy. It seems that even if you don't want to be known, someone has made you visible. Go ahead and "google" your name. Chances are you will find a list of websites that contain some mention of you. Of course a lot of the material about you could be outdated and useless. That's the thing about the Internet. In addition to the abundance of information, there is a lot of impractical stuff too. 


    What does all this have to do with us future librarians and information specialists? Well we are the experts of organized knowledge. We are also protectors of the 1st Amendment as well as trustees of privacy and confidentiality rights. So how do we reconcile an information policy with our code of ethics? We advocate the freedom of knowledge via a profusion of paraphernalia. Yet at the same time filters are installed in public computers as a means of protecting younger library users from observing inappropriate material. Some public libraries subscribe to Playboy, but the magazine is usually kept behind the circulation desk or somewhere where young prying eyes can't get to it. Public library staff are encouraged to use positive "warning" signs which is difficult. How do you say "No food allowed in the library" without using the word "no"?

     So how does the profession reconcile with a "National Information Policy"? By walking a fine line between obeying the law while at the same time respecting individual rights. This is our conundrum. It's a challenge that is dealt with on a daily basis. I don't want to sound like an alarmist, but if you think about it, everything comes with a price. Even free stuff. We live in a world where information is available 24/7.Most of us take for granted that everyone knows how to use a computer and that we all have easy access to computers. However, the plain truth is that not everyone is tech-savvy. Some people are afraid of technology. Also, contrary to what most of us think, a lot of individuals have no access to computers or the Internet. This is for an abundance of reasons. The question posed is this: How can a democratic society be democratic if a percentage of it's citizens are either ill-informed or non-informed?

National Broadband Plan!

By Rebecca Ridenour

This blog has previously discussed the need for the government to aid institutions currently providing internet access to the public, because most government documents and forms are now on the internet and libraries provide much needed access to this information. Not all libraries have a big enough budget to support the demands of patrons who need to access the internet. (National Information Policies are important, but useless if people are unable to access the information in the first place.)

There is hope on this front. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has been developing The National Broadband Plan (NBP) over the past few years. This plan encompasses making broadband access available for remote parts of the country that rely on costly and inferior connections like satellite and dial up. The NBP will also be assisting Public Computing Centers ((PCC) this especially includes libraries) in providing computer access to the public. (Jayakar & Park, 2012)  

While the plan is mostly adressing a much needed infrastructure upgrade, grant money for Library computers will be made available through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The NBP will also be setting up tutorials and information for libraries to assist patrons using online government resources. ([FCC], 2010)

This is great news for Libraries, that often provide costly but invaluable help to those who are unable to afford internet access or need assistance in using the computer. 

More information about The NBP can be found at http://www.broadband.gov/

 References

[FCC], F. C. C. (2010). Connecting America: The national broadband plan. Washington, D.C.:  Retrieved from http://download.broadband.gov/plan/national-broadband-plan.pdf.

Jayakar, K., & Park, E.-A. (2012). Funding public computing centers: Balancing broadband availability and expected demand. Government Information Quarterly, 29(1), 50-59. doi: 10.1016/j.giq.2011.02.005

A National Information Policy is great, if you can get the information!

By Fara McCune

We've learned in previous posts that access to information is a critical component of democracy. As students in an on-line program, we tend to take affordable, high-speed internet access for granted. But for many, internet access is unaffordable and/or unavailable. This so-called “digital divide” is one of many reasons why the information technology role of public libraries has continued to grow and remains a critical part of their service to their communities.

It's not just the physical infrastructure that is affected by the government's information policy. These policies also affect the affordability of access and which information may be accessed by whom (Jaeger, 2007). Even after access is provided, the information may not be available to all due to a lack of skills to use the technology, or due to disabilities, location, or cost. According to Muir & Oppenheim, our government recognizes that the digital divide is actually worsening along racial and socioeconomic lines, and this may serve to reinforce problematic class divisions within our society (2002).

Given that resources will always be scarce, how should we prioritize providing access to information to everyone? Should we spend those scare tax dollars to run fiber optic cable for high-speed internet to a rural elementary school, or should we use those dollars to fund special equipment for disabled users in an urban public library? What about our responsibilities to the global community? Should those funds be used to provide internet access in other countries? What do you think?

References

Jaeger, P. T. (2007). Information policy, information access, and democratic participation: The national and international implications of the Bush administration’s information politics. [Article]. Government Information Quarterly, 24(4), 840-859. doi: 10.1016/j.giq.2007.01.004

Muir, A., & Oppenheim, C. (2002). National Information Policy Developments Worldwide II: Universal Access-Addressing the Digital Divide. Journal of Information Science, 28(4), 263-273.

National Information Policy and the USA PATRIOT Act

by Ann Harris

So what is “information policy” anyway?  Well, as mentioned in earlier posts, it is made up of laws and regulations involving the creation, processing, access and use of information as well as privacy protection.  As far as libraries are concerned, the role of the librarian is to protect not only the privacy of the patron but the patron’s right to access information.  As Matz states, there is a librarian-patron relationship that is similar to doctor/patient or attorney/client confidentiality, although it is not recognized by law to have privileged status (Matz, 2007).  This relationship (and thus this level of confidentiality) works when there is trust between both parties.  

Weeks after the 9/11 attacks, the USA PATRIOT Act (USAPA) was enacted, which gave the government the power to monitor and intercept communication in all formats (Matz, 2008).  Section 215 of the USAPA became a source of controversy, as it stated that the government can search third party records, including library records.  (In May 2011, Congress passed a four-year extension to Section 215, which President Barack Obama signed into law.)

Under this section, the Federal Bureau of Investigation can get information about library patrons from their records.  It basically states that the government could retrieve information about you without notifying you, which is a violation of the Fourth Amendment (it protects us against unreasonable searches and seizures).  Needless to say, it ruffled some feathers among librarians because it challenged their ethics and their patron’s right to privacy.  Libraries across the nation began adopting their own protocols on patron confidentiality and privacy by being more discreet about things like ILL and reserve records, and adopting more drastic measures like shredding computer access logs (Matz, 2008).  It is the American Library Association’s Code of Ethics at play here.  It is the duty of the librarian to protect patron confidentiality and intellectual freedom.


References

Matz, C.  (2008) Libraries and the USA PATRIOT Act: Values in Conflict.  Journal of Library 

              Administration. 47 (3/4), 69-87. doi:10.1080/01930820802186399

We Need a Policy for Information? Really?

By Fara McCune

There's an exponentially expanding amount of information out there. Sometimes you have to search for it, or maybe it's everywhere. Everyone should have access to it, but maybe not all of it, like your Social Security number. But if the government doesn't have access to that number, you won't be getting your tax refund or Social Security benefits.

We've been worried about the government having access to too much of our information since at least the 1960s (Dunn, 1967), and I'm sure it actually dates from the same time as the creation of governments. Today we continue to have such worries, especially in light of legislation like the USAPATRIOT (Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) Act. And it's not only the government we have to worry about, but businesses and corporations as well. They have vast amounts of information about everything from our surfing habits to our favorite brand of toothpaste, but they want more and they want to make money buying and selling it (Lipinski, 1999).

These privacy issues are just one facet of the broad topic of information policy. We'll explore more in subsequent posts. Until then, consider this: Should any information be “classified” by the government or should citizens be able to access any information they desire? How far should the government go to protect an individual's right to privacy? Should the same rules apply to the government and businesses? Should all information be treated equally, or should special rules apply to “sensitive” information, such as medical records or Social Security numbers?

What do you think?

References

Dunn, E. S., Jr. (1967). The Idea of a National Data Center and the Issue of Personal Privacy. The American Statistician, 21(1), 21-27.

Lipinski, T. A. (1999). The Commodification of Information and the Extension of Proprietary Rights into the Public Domain: Recent Legal (Case and Other) Developments in the United States. Journal of Business Ethics, 22(1), 63-80.

What's It All About "Newbie"?

by Sarita Kiehm

Believe it or not in this day and age, this is my very first blog. (So bear with me.)

     What the heck is a "national information policy"? Well it's a set of rules and regulations that the government has put in place to insure that all citizens can have easy access to available technology such as electronic and print media and the resources in which to obtain this information. In other words, a national information policy is meant to encourage democracy in a democratic society. Other developed nations have similar policies in place as well. UNESCO is a big supporter of promoting literacy in developing nations so that their citizens may be able to participate in accessing the world-wide explosion of information using various media tools. To make a democracy work, one needs to be informed. And at the heart of information is literacy. Being able to read is the key.

     In my research on this topic, I came across information regarding organizations like UNESCO which work around the world (especially in developing countries) promoting literacy. I believe it's safe to say that literacy is one of the basic tenets of human rights. Think about it. If one is literate, that person will be more aware of what is going around him or her. (Of course one can be literate and be ignorant of the world around him or her, but this is a personal choice and not something that can be controlled by outside forces like a regime or tyrannical government.) Even in today's world where we have social media, one still has to have some knowledge of reading. One can only go so far just looking at pictures. One still has to understand context.

     This is where education comes in. Again, I believe that this is also one of the main principles of human rights.One can have a curious mind. In order to satisfy this curiosity, one has to have access to education. This will open new avenues on which the seeker can travel.

     So what's it all about? How does literacy and education play into the original topic? Well, as I said earlier, an informed citizenry makes for a democratic society. Education leads to literacy; which leads to accessing information via various means; which leads to awareness. And that is what knowledge is.