This was presented at mySociety's TICTeC Show & Tell event, which was held virtually on 28 September 2021. More details on the event can be found here: https://tictec.mysociety.org/showandtells/2021

1. Regulating Access to Information
28th September 2021

2. mySociety and Access to Information
● mySociety are a UK not-for-profit that run WhatDoTheyKnow.com (and other
sites like TheyWorkForYou, WriteToThem, and FixMyStreet).
● We produce Alaveteli software - the underlying code base that powers
WhatDoTheyKnow, and similar sites across Europe.
● Our research and policy work seek to better understand problems to refine our
services, and advocate for policy changes that achieve the wider goal behind those
services: better informed and more active citizens.
Reforming FOI

3. Using digital tools to promote access to information
● Exposing access points by making it easier to put online
● Scaling public information by putting it online
● Helping high impact stories by producing tools for journalists, researchers and
campaigners.
But...
Reforming FOI

4. Using digital tools to promote access to information
● Exposing access points by making it easier to put online
● Scaling public information by putting it online
● Helping high impact stories by producing tools for journalists, researchers and
campaigners.
But...
Reforming FOI

5. What if the access to information system doesn’t work?
Reforming FOI

6. Roadblocks and advice
● Common that authorities withhold information that should be released.
● This requires navigating the appeals process. Technology can help with this.
● But… much more variation internationally.
Reforming FOI

7. Two 2021 research projects
● Opportunities for reform in the UK (published in April)
● Appeals and oversight in ATI systems across Europe (aiming to be finished towards
the end of the year)
Reforming FOI

8. Different kinds of oversight organisation
● Is there an organization with a specific or general remit that covers access to
information?
● Do they have any formal powers of investigation and enforcement?
Reforming FOI

9. Different kinds of oversight organisation
Reforming FOI
Mediator Enforcer
Specific Mediator Information
Commissioner
Regulator Information
Commissioner
General Ombudsman Courts

10. Grouping countries
Using rti-rating.org indicators, we got scores for:
● How powerful is the oversight body?
● Is the oversight body politically independent?
● How effective is the review process?
Based on this, we found six groupings of local authorities.
Reforming FOI

11. Reforming FOI

12. Improving FOI In the UK
Recommended:
● Moving oversight of information
commissioner to Parliament, from
Government.
● Separating the data protection and access to
information roles into two offices.
Reforming FOI

13. Thank you