Often, people are quite unaware of what information they are legally allowed to obtain from the authorities which is often just the way the authorities like it. So a key first step that anyone interested in pursuing a legal action should take is to find out what right to information they have under the law. Citizens in the United States have a traditional distrust of secretiveness by government agencies. Prior to 1966, however, the idea that people have a 'right to know' about government decisions supposedly taken on their behalf was merely an expression of belief, not law. This Act gives the citizen a legally enforceable right to access government documents and data, except some documents in privileged categories.
Similar laws exist in many other countries.
The European Union's Code of Conduct gives the public the right to access documents of the EU's Commission and Councils. In 1982, Australia passed its Freedom of Information Act and Canada passed its National Access to Information Act. Three years later, Colombia enacted a comprehensive Freedom of Information Law. And just last year, Japan's parliament passed an Information Disclosure Law that will take effect within two years. Numerous other countries are considering new legislation to strengthen or begin legally enforceable disclosure requirements.