Sent by a librarian friend in the University of California system
Here are some more items about government information being removed
from the web. One intersting sub-text in these items is that even
security experts, the FBI, and Congress are quoted as saying that these
removals do little to deny access to determined terrorists and that
some of the information will continue to be available in print or
through the private sector.
What they do not mention is that much of this information would have
also be preserved in depository libraries, if they had been deposited.
Los Angeles Times Oct. 3, 2001
"U.S. Agencies Pull Sensitive Data Off Web"
Washington Post Oct. 3, 2001
"Agencies Scrub Web Sites Of Sensitive Chemical Data"
These two articles summarize the removal of information from EPA, CDC,
and DOT web sites.
GovExec.com Daily Briefing September 25, 2001
"Mapping agency blocks access, postpones outsourcing pact"
This item reports actions by the National Imagery and Mapping Agency
which removed maps from its own web site, directed the U.S. Geological
Survey and the Federal Aviation Administration to halt sales of all
NIMA-made topographic maps, and ordered the Library of Congress and
National Archives and Records Administration to deny public access to
such maps. (One intelligence expert questioned the wisdom of the
freeze, noting that since NIMA is not the only source of map
information, restricting access to NIMA maps will not improve
security.)
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"A Post-September 11 Attack on Right-to-Know"
Comments from OMB Watch Executive Director Gary Bass
October 2, 2001
This item from OMB Watch summarizes some of these same events,
examines some of the political and economic questions behind these
decisions, enumerates the advantages of public access to these same
data, and notes how denying access does little to hurt terrorists.
OMB Watch will, later this week, provide this web page with the
most up-to-date list of changes in public access to information.