TAG / TRANSPARENCY

After seven months of delays and repeated denials, Tyler Foster forced Memphis to comply with public records law. His win could set a precedent for greater transparency in city government.

The reform would make it a crime to delete government communications, following revelations that top officials wiped WhatsApp messages during the pandemic.

When conflicts of interest in major news coverage were exposed, CJR refused to respond, eroding public trust in media oversight.

AI is speeding up FOIA responses, but may also be creating legal and ethical hazards that could undermine public requests and government accountability.

Investigative journalists demand answers as officials dodge record requests on a program plagued by waste, secrecy and abuse—the very things freedom of information laws were created to uncover.

Transparency advocates say proposed FOI changes gut the public’s right to know and shield the government from scrutiny.

Saratoga Springs’ unusual prosecution underscores the importance of transparency—and the legal consequences for officials who disregard it.

Despite a half-century-old FOIA law, citizens and journalists face months—even years—of stonewalling. Watchdogs warn government secrecy in the Nutmeg State threatens accountability and democracy itself.

Austria now requires proactive disclosure of administrative documents, contracts and data after five generations of constitutionally enshrined secrecy.

The Department of Energy’s recent demand that requesters reconfirm their interest or face automatic closure is drawing fire from transparency advocates and raising legal alarms.