What’s the Free in Freedom of Information?

Last Tuesday, we were encouraged by the SLIS faculty to attend a seminar about
eFOI (Electronic Freedom of Information). Basically, it is a matter of full public disclosure and
transparency in public service among institutions. An implemented law not fully regarded as
a law by others for some reason, eFOI upholds our rights to information as stated by the
constitution in a form where technology comes into existence. For good reasons, the word
‘free’ there makes it openly accessible and attainable to everyone. Yet, there comes some,
particularly me, to ponder on what qualifies information in order to be free.

We are always reminded with Gorman’s fourth new law of librarianship which
“protects free access of knowledge” in all forms. My argument to what qualifies information
as free comes with the idea that our concept of free should be correlated not only by means
of having no monetary value but also by using information responsibly. With the rise of
eFOI, people are rightfully provided with capacity to ask or request for information without
being financially demanded. However, when requesting for information, the client must
responsibly evaluate his/her inquiries by providing sufficient details and considering factors
such as availability of data that may ponder upon requests being approved or denied.

Linking to Kantian deontology, everyone is expected to fulfill one’s contract. Our

freedom to fulfill this must not go beyond its limits. Having freedom does not mean being
violent and impatient towards grant of access to information. It must not also mean
exploiting it for personal interest that may lead to misinformation, disinformation, and mal-
information. In search for what is needed, one is obliged to maximize one’s resourcefulness
and patience when dealing with this privilege. After all, freedom of information is
responsibility, and everyone are expected to act and deal with it rationally.

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