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... > social science subjects > criminology and criminal justice > criminology > social history of crime > documents and acts shaping the American system of criminal justice > Freedom of Information Act of 1966
social science subjects > business and management > business ethics > information ethics > Freedom of Information Act of 1966

Preferred term

Freedom of Information Act of 1966  

Definition

  • The First Amendment protects freedom of speech and press, but how can the citizenry hold a government or its members accountable for its actions if those actions take place behind closed doors? In 1966 Congress adopted the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), acting on the principle that government should be transparent to the governed. In a democratic system, citizens have the right to hold government accountable for its actions by exercising First Amendment freedoms, by means of the election process, and by use of the court system to review legislative and executive actions. [Source: Encyclopedia of the First Amendment; Freedom of Information Act of 1966]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/Freedom_of_Information_Act_of_1966

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