Regulations should be promulgated to make it explicit that agency employees and officials – in compliance with the requirements of the Federal Records Act – may not conduct agency business through use of non-agency email or other messaging systems. As e-mail has become a dominant form of communication within government, the importance of maintaining an accurate record of those communications has grown as well. Recent instances at both the federal and state levels have demonstrated that in addition to better archiving of government e-mail records, a stronger policy is needed on use of non-governmental e-mail accounts. Policies should strongly reinforce the Federal Regulations Act’s restriction that communications on public/government matters should be conducted through official e-mail accounts.
However, given that the problem continues to arise despite the existing guidance, additional requirements should be established in the event that government matters are discussed through non-governmental or personal e-mail accounts. In such circumstances, officials should be required to preserve and make public these records, or at least the portion related to official business.
- From the 21st Century RTK Agenda
Comments (4)
This is an unrealistic idea.
I agree and this should be extended to disallowing the communication of any government information on external file sharing services such as, google docs, huddle etc.
E-mail is being misused as a quasi-document/records management system. It is a stage of immaturity through which we must pass in progressing toward usage of better tools that are more appropriate for meeting the underlying requirements, which include long-term accessibility and management of records. Agencies should begin to use Web-based document/records management systems, in which We the People's records should be managed and maintained throughout their full life-cycles. Then E-mail, RSS/Atom "news" feeds can be used to "push" information to those who have requested it, while the emerging Content Management Interoperabily Services (CMIS) protocol can be used to enable interoperable query services on a governmentwide basis.
fundamentally, a great idea. public transparency should not be circumvented by private communication systems
here is an exception, and allow me to explain why it deserves this exemption:
the union in federal government, by law, is performing the government's work when not engaged in performing internal union activities
so, federal union communications would necessarily be included in this provision unless exempted.
agency management is able to control and monitor what is conveyed on its computer system - including e-mail. this provision would compel the union to communicate its strategies in such a manner that management would be given an advantage it should not enjoy. the deliberations of the union should not be available to be revealed to the management with whom it is conducting negotiations. the labor-management playing field would be made less level - to the disfavor of the union and the employees it represents - by imposing this requirement without the exemption