Archivisti e storici tra diritto all'accesso e Wikileaks

Abstract

Archivists and historians between freedom of information and Wikileaks. The article argues that Wikileaks does not provide an answer to the citizens' thirst for transparency. A more democratic and effective answer can rather come from a good Freedom of information law. Italy, however, does not have a Foi law. The article is divided in two parts. The first one analyzes the functioning of Wikileaks up to April 2011 and shows that it created a myth of total transparency and of citizens' empowerment that is far from reality. The second one explains how in the Usa the existence of a robust Foi was instrumental in the preservation of Presidential e-mails and points out how Foi laws help create public pressure in favor of good records management.