“Hemos retrocedido en acceso a la información en los últimos años”

The proposed Personal Data Protection Law in Paraguay contains controversial provisions that risk undermining existing Transparency and Access to Information laws. Although recent modifications by the Senate have introduced necessary exceptions for public information, the legislation still threatens to create excessive bureaucratic hurdles. By requiring consent from data subjects for public records, such as officials' personnel files, the law complicates the administrative process and could effectively delay or obstruct the public’s right to access essential government data. The article emphasizes the critical distinction between the privacy rights of private citizens and those of public officials. While personal sensitive data requires strict protection, public figures administering state resources are subject to a lower threshold of privacy in favor of public scrutiny. This balance is vital for democracy, ensuring accountability while preventing the misuse of data protection claims to hide information about public servants’ performance, conflicts of interest, or public assets. This issue is relevant to open data because it highlights the tension between protecting individual privacy and ensuring data accessibility for civic oversight. The text critiques current practices where authorities provide vague responses or use complex data formats to hinder access. It argues that a healthy democracy requires progressive increases in transparency and simpler, more accessible data formats, rather than legislative changes that reduce public control and engagement.

Source: ultimahora.com
Published on 2025-08-11

“Hemos retrocedido en acceso a la información en los últimos años”

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