Discussion on:

Freedom of information? Uncle Sam, get it right!

According to attorney Eric Sinrod, "A recent audit by the National Security Archive -- an independent, nongovernmental research effort at George Washington University -- paints a bleak picture of governmental noncompliance with the Electronic Freedom of Information Act (E-FOIA)." It's been 10 years since Congress enacted E-FOIA regulations.



Do you think a decade is enough time for government agencies to come into compliance?



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Heck no...it would taken them that long just to coordinate the meetings to discuss the agenda to review possible milestones.

Having seen the evolution of the Internet Technologies some 15 years ago (1991) and having worked within the government prior to that period. The government's need was not the PC but the typewriter and the data mainframe. The government's IT technologies push did not take place until 1997 and very few folks can even remember the state of the technology, as I do. If it had been for young game enthusiasts, we all would still behind the a slow pulling mule and a game of pac-man. I for one believe that changes in next 5 years will cause all of us reason to worry for civil liberties and strict compliance. Be Careful What You Wish For and a bump in the Dark could be that runaway train we kept demanding to get here. Let them take their time and stop using the words like "decades" and use the numbers like 10 and 20.

Oh, you are right. I feel so much better about the non-compliance now that I use comfortable numbers like 10 and 20. Last I checked 10 yrs was a decade; soft selling it only downplays it and gives it no urgency.

How do you reconcile statements like "I for one believe that changes in next 5 years will cause all of us reason to worry for civil liberties and strict compliance." and "Let them take their time" If not pushed do you really ever think they would get there?

Do you think the government took the same "please be sarbanes compliant" when you are ready to the private sector? HIPAA? The FBI looses computers and weapons and has no idea how, Indian Affairs data security was so bad it was transfer to the court to over see it. Vetern Affairs loses millions of names, ss#, etc...yes, we should let them be in compliance when they are ready. I feel so much more secure with the information they collect and maintain with my head under the pillow.

I would think that if you are worried about the changes in the next 5 yrs and civil liberties you would be beating on them to get with the program NOW, to better adapt to the changes over the next 5 yrs.

...is blocked implementation. Yes...it has been long enough.

Not really government fails at everything it does except killing other people.