Originally published June 12 2005
Florida's citizens must speak out for or against proposal to balance open government, privacy, writes columnist
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The advent of the internet provided numerous benefits, but is one of them the easy access to court records? Having the information readily available on the internet is considered, by some, to be crucial to open government, but others fear what can be done with this personal information when it is so easy to access. Jon Mills, of South Florida's Sun-Sentinel.com, says the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Privacy and Court Records has proposed finding a balance between the two extremes by implementing a required series of precautionary measures which must be taken before information can be accessed over the internet, and prohibiting access to juvenile, family and probate records via the web for now. Either way, Mills says, Florida's citizens must make their voices heard for, or against, these proposals.
As anyone who has followed recent news stories knows, the Internet has created a major clash between fundamental democratic values of open government and personal privacy, a clash only enhanced by its capacity to make information in Miami instantly available in Tokyo.
For over a year, the Florida Supreme Court Committee on Privacy and Court Records has sought to come up with a better answer in one very important area: Internet availability of public court records.
The Internet makes possible greater openness -- so indispensable to good government -- and allows for greater convenience in accessing government services, including court records.
However, such technology also places the privacy of Floridians at risk.
State and local agencies and courts collect a wide range of information in the process of providing government services -- from driver's licenses to building permits to probate of estates.
Most of this information is open, and new information technologies make it possible for private entities to acquire it at little or no cost.
But technology and commerce are outpacing the law and public policy.
Florida's reputation for open government is well-deserved.
A majority of the committee supports a recommendation to publish nonconfidential court records on the Internet; some members strongly disagree.
Before records can be released electronically, a number of precautionary measures must be taken by lawyers, clerks of court and judges to protect confidential information and to prevent unnecessary information from coming into court files to begin with.
The committee's proposals are an effort to strike a balance.
The draft report and recommendations are available at the Florida Supreme Court Web site at www.flcourts.org.
Residents may read the report, then provide input directly to the committee before it finalizes its work.
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