So holds the Arizona Supreme Court; the Washington Court of Appeals held the same a year ago. The decision applies to whatever metadata is stored with the document, including creation, modification, and access dates, the identities of the creating, modifying, and accessing users, and so on (at least unless some exception to the public records act applies).
The decision does not require that the computer systems maintain any metadata; it only requires the disclosure of whatever metadata is present. “[W]hen a public entity maintains a public record in an electronic format, the electronic version of the record, including any embedded metadata, is subject to disclosure under our public records law.”
Thanks to How Appealing for the pointer.
Dave says:
A small step toward my favorite “good government” proposal: that all legislative proposals be tracked and stored in a revision control system, allowing real-time public visibility and binding attribution of all changes.
October 29, 2009, 7:19 pmdearieme says:
Does “metadata” explain why this blog has become So Slow?
October 29, 2009, 7:24 pmgwinje says:
Good day for good posts on the VC, but I second dearieme.
October 29, 2009, 10:51 pmuberVU - social comments says:
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October 30, 2009, 10:25 pmSam says:
“EMBEDDED metadata” So if metadata is not embedded in a record, but kept in a separate database, its not required to be disclosed?
October 31, 2009, 5:43 am