this post was submitted on 02 Jan 2025
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Ministers told to use Post-it notes to avoid Freedom of Information requests (www.independent.co.uk)
submitted 6 months ago by Domino@lemmings.world to c/world@quokk.au
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Ministers in Tony Blair’s government were advised to use Post-it notes for sensitive messages to avoid having to release them under new Freedom of Information, according newly-released official files.

The Labour government had originally passed the Freedom of Information Act in 2000 but as the full implementation date approached on January 1 2005 there was growing disquiet among ministers and senior officials at the implications.

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[–] baggins@lemmy.ca 30 points 6 months ago

That's not a loophole that's just breaking the law πŸ™„

[–] sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyz 19 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Why post-it notes? If they are required to keep official documents, how would the size of the paper, or the slightly sticky part make a difference over, say, a piece of A4?

[–] CityPop 11 points 6 months ago (1 children)

Presumably not every scrap of paper has to be kept, and this fell into a loophole or grey area.

[–] Dave@lemmy.nz 12 points 6 months ago

I would guess they thought it was a loop hole but were wrong.

[–] Piatro@programming.dev 1 points 5 months ago

Well nowadays they just conveniently lose their phones or access to WhatsApp and aren't punished at all.