Academic freedom: A court decision in the United States rescinding an order to turn over academic e-mails in response to a freedom-of-information request is welcome.

Link: Academic freedom: A court decision in the United States rescinding an order to turn over academic e-mails in response to a freedom-of-information request is welcome.

Scottish law exempts academic work from the freedom-of-information laws, but the rest of the United Kingdom does not. Ireland also exempts, and although the United States is commonly thought to, it turns out that, as so often in that country, it is left to the courts to decide. So, just what should researchers make of freedom-of-information laws?