Opinion ID: 1217808
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Restrictions on subsequent use under FOIA

Text: Appellants argue the master erred in finding Horry County could restrict subsequent distribution of public records because: (1) FOIA does not include an exception for disclosure for records containing copyrightable elements; and (2) FOIA does not authorize restrictions on subsequent use. The purpose of FOIA is to protect citizens from secret government activity. Campbell, 354 S.C. at 280, 580 S.E.2d at 166. FOIA allows the public to learn and report fully the activities of their public officials at a minimum cost or delay by providing the public access to public documents [5] or meetings. S.C.Code Ann. § 30-4-15 (2007). Pursuant to FOIA, any person has the right to copy public records, unless an exception applies, at a fee not to exceed the actual cost of searching for or making copies of records. S.C.Code Ann. § 30-4-30(a), (b) (2007). Any government agency attempting to avail itself of an exemption bears the burden of proving the exemption applies. Evening Post Publ'g Co. v. City of North Charleston, 363 S.C. 452, 457, 611 S.E.2d 496, 499 (2005). The exemptions to FOIA should be narrowly construed to ensure public access to documents. Id. FOIA grants the public an immutable right to access public records. However, this right of access is viewed differently where commercial use of public information is concerned. FOIA specifically limits the subsequent commercial use of information obtained pursuant to the Act in some situations: (1) public records containing the telephone number, address, and name of handicapped persons may not be disclosed where the information is to be used for person-to-person commercial solicitation of such handicapped person; and (2) information contained in a police incident report, or in an employee salary schedule, or the home addresses and phone numbers of employees and officers of public bodies may not be used for commercial solicitation. S.C.Code Ann. § 30-4-40(a)(2) (2007) (providing the government may exempt from disclosure contact information for handicapped persons if it is to be used for commercial solicitation); S.C.Code Ann. § 30-4-50(B) (2007) (prohibiting the use of information in a police report, employee salary schedule, or the home addresses of public body employees and officers for commercial solicitation). While it is true that copyright-protected data is not listed as an exemption to FOIA disclosure, Horry County does not deny this fact and there is evidence in the record to support the master's finding that Horry County was not attempting to restrict initial access to the material by Appellants. Thus, the question before the Court is whether Horry County may restrict the subsequent commercial distribution of public information pursuant to the copyright law. In deciding this question, the master relied upon the federal case of County of Suffolk, New York v. First American Real Estate Solutions, 261 F.3d 179 (2d Cir.2001). In Suffolk, Suffolk County sued First American for copyright infringement for copying and selling Suffolk County's copyrighted tax maps. The Suffolk court found that states and political subdivisions may obtain copyrights, and maps could be copyright-protected to the extent it could be shown that it contained original material, research, and creative compilation. Suffolk, 261 F.3d at 187-88. The court next considered whether the New York Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) abrogated Suffolk County's copyright. Noting that when FOIL was enacted it was recognized that states could possess copyrights, the court found it significant that FOIL was silent as to the effect of requiring disclosure on preexisting copyrights the agency possessed and what may occur after the agency discloses the records. Id. at 189. The court found the extent of the state agency's FOIL obligation is to make its records available for public inspection and copying, stating that it is one thing to read this provision to permit a member of the public to copy a public record, but it is quite another to read into it the right of a private entity to distribute commercially what it would otherwise, under copyright law, be unable to distribute. Id. [6] Because FOIA does not prohibit the copyrighting of some specialized public information, we agree with the Suffolk court's reasoning that the county may obtain copyrights, and maps can be copyright-protected to the extent it can be shown that it contains original material, research, and creative compilation. Suffolk, 261 F.3d at 187-88. The originality and creativity necessary to create and maintain the system is present in this case. Further, the purpose of FOIA is satisfied once the public information is provided. It does not violate FOIA for a public entity to copyright specially-created digital data and to restrict subsequent commercial use as long as the information is provided initially to the requesting person or entity. If an entity is allowed to copyright the specially-created data, it is logical that the governmental entity should be allowed to enact ordinances to restrict further commercial dissemination of the information in order to protect the copyright. See 17 U.S.C.A. § 106 (2005) (providing that copyright holders have the exclusive right to allow certain uses, and thus impose subsequent use restrictions). However, Appellants point to the Court of Appeals' decision in Campbell v. Marion County Hospital District, 354 S.C. 274, 580 S.E.2d 163 (Ct.App.2003), to support their argument that FOIA prohibits any subsequent use restriction on public information. In Campbell, the circuit court ruled that Dr. Campbell could get access to the county hospital's records of physician recruitment, physicians' salaries, and purchase prices of practices pursuant to FOIA, but the circuit court ruled such information constituted trade secrets such that the court restricted Dr. Campbell from subsequently disclosing the information to third parties. Campbell, 354 S.C. at 278-79, 580 S.E.2d at 165. The Court of Appeals reversed the circuit court's protective order, finding the information did not constitute trade secrets and that information obtained pursuant to FOIA could not be protected by a restraining order. Id. at 287, 580 S.E.2d at 169. While the Campbell opinion correctly noted that FOIA does not provide for the prohibition on further dissemination of information obtained, the case did not deal with the interplay of federal copyright restrictions and licensing on subsequent commercial dissemination of the information. Thus, Campbell is not applicable to the underlying case. Accordingly, we agree with the master that FOIA and copyright law can be read harmoniously and that the Horry County ordinance allowing the licensing restrictions on further commercial dissemination of the GIS data does not violate FOIA. The ability to copyright specially-created data, as long as the public is given access to the public data, does not frustrate the purpose of FOIA.