Macdonald on the Law of Freedom of Information

The essential practitioners' guide to freedom of information law, revised and updated to reflect the challenges of the digital age.

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Ten years after the Freedom of Information Act 2000 came into force in the UK, the implementation and case law related to the Act remains contentious. This new edition of the standard practitioners' text provides a complete, authoritative, and accessible guide to this challenging and rapidly evolving area of law.

The core of the book is a full and lucid exploration of the statutory scheme: the Act itself, as well as the Environmental Regulations 2004 and the Data Protections Act 1998. It provides historical perspectives, aids to construction, and in-depth analysis of all provisions, with discussion expanded to include the problems exposed by the mass of information about individuals now available on the internet, and the best way to protect citizens from those who commit crimes and torts online.

Further chapters address how the Act relates to other legal issues, including human rights, confidentiality, data protection, and official secrets. Finally, it offers an account of the different ways the disclosure of information is treated in the European Union and the devolved parts of the UK, and a comparative survey of information rights in other parts of the world.