Blurred vision: How supreme court FOIA opinions on invasion of privacy have missed the target of legislative intent
- 1 January 1999
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Communication Law and Policy
- Vol. 4 (1) , 111-148
- https://doi.org/10.1080/10811689909368671
Abstract
The framers of the Freedom of Information Act believed that in order to make informed decisions concerning self‐rule in the democracy, citizens needed access to government information. However, the law also acknowledges the importance of protecting privacy—two of the FOIA's exemptions allow federal agencies to withhold information that would invade the privacy of individuals. The purpose of this article is to explore the legal conflict between an individual's right to privacy and the public interest in disclosure of government information. In an examination of seven United States Supreme Court decisions on this subject, this article questions whether the Court has fairly balanced the conflicting values of access and privacy within the guidelines established by Congress in the FOIA.Keywords
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- The People’S Right to KnowPublished by Columbia University Press ,1953
- The Right to PrivacyHarvard Law Review, 1890