The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Cunha Filho, Marcio Camargo
Data de Publicação: 2021
Outros Autores: Antunes, Luiz Fernando Toledo
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: por
eng
Título da fonte: Cadernos EBAPE.BR
Texto Completo: https://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129
Resumo: Freedom of Information laws are governance tools aimed at promoting government transparency, increasing public participation in government activity, and enhancing government trust. Nevertheless, do these laws enable the disclosure of sensitive documents? This article analyzes the legal regime of classified information and its practice in the Brazilian federal executive agencies, discussing the regime’s compatibility with the country’s current democratic system. The research adopts mixed methods based on analysis of an exploratory set of appeals to information requests, selecting cases for qualitative analysis. We argue that the legal regime of classifying information is not subject to effective social or horizontal accountability. This article has two contributions to contemporary discussions regarding public transparency. From a theoretical point of view, the study demonstrates that the information classification system imposes obstacles to the general rule stating that democracies must allow informed participation of people in the political process. From an empirical perspective, the article demonstrates that the lack of accountability mechanisms can lead public agencies to overclassify public information. In conclusion, we suggest the need to rethink the very existence of a legal regime of classified information due to its inherent problems.
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spelling The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional orderRégimen legal de clasificación de información en Brasil: problemas teóricos y empíricos y su (in)compatibilidad con el orden jurídico democráticoRegime legal de classificação de informações no Brasil: problemas teóricos, empíricos e (in)compatibilidade com a ordem jurídica democráticaFreedom of Information ActTransparencyClassified InformationState SecretsOffice of the Comptroller GeneralLei de Acesso à InformaçãoTransparênciaClassificação de InformaçõesSegredos de EstadoControladoria-Geral da UniãoLey de Acceso a la InformaciónTransparenciaClasificación de InformaciónSecretos de EstadoContraloría General FederalFreedom of Information laws are governance tools aimed at promoting government transparency, increasing public participation in government activity, and enhancing government trust. Nevertheless, do these laws enable the disclosure of sensitive documents? This article analyzes the legal regime of classified information and its practice in the Brazilian federal executive agencies, discussing the regime’s compatibility with the country’s current democratic system. The research adopts mixed methods based on analysis of an exploratory set of appeals to information requests, selecting cases for qualitative analysis. We argue that the legal regime of classifying information is not subject to effective social or horizontal accountability. This article has two contributions to contemporary discussions regarding public transparency. From a theoretical point of view, the study demonstrates that the information classification system imposes obstacles to the general rule stating that democracies must allow informed participation of people in the political process. From an empirical perspective, the article demonstrates that the lack of accountability mechanisms can lead public agencies to overclassify public information. In conclusion, we suggest the need to rethink the very existence of a legal regime of classified information due to its inherent problems.Las leyes de acceso a la información se han convertido, en todo el mundo, en instrumentos de gobernanza dirigidos a promover la transparencia de los actos estatales y, así, permitir más participación política, control de la corrupción y la probidad de los actos públicos. Sin embargo, ¿hasta qué punto esas leyes permiten la publicización de documentos políticamente sensibles? Ese artículo analiza críticamente el régimen legal de la “información clasificada”, la práctica institucional resultante de dicho régimen y su compatibilidad con una Constitución democrática. Por medio de un estudio de métodos mixtos, que parte del análisis de un conjunto exploratorio de recursos de acceso a la información para posteriormente seleccionar casos para análisis cualitativo, argumentamos que el régimen jurídico del acto de clasificación no está sometido a mecanismos de control social u horizontal. El artículo presenta dos contribuciones a las actuales discusiones sobre transparencia y control social. Desde el punto de vista teórico, argumentamos que el acto de clasificación impone obstáculos institucionales a la regla que postula que, en regímenes democráticos, se deben tomar decisiones que permitan la participación de las personas. Desde el punto de vista empírico, el estudio demuestra que el no sometimiento a mecanismos de control puede inducir a los órganos públicos a la sobreclasificación de información. En la conclusión, señalamos posibles investigaciones futuras sobre el tema.Leis de acesso à informação têm se tornado instrumentos de governança voltados a promover a transparência de atos estatais e, assim, permitir maior participação política, controle da corrupção e lisura dos atos públicos. No entanto, essas leis permitem a publicização de documentos politicamente sensíveis? O objetivo deste artigo é analisar criticamente o regime legal das “informações classificadas”, a prática institucional decorrente desse regime e a sua compatibilidade com uma Constituição democrática. Por meio de um estudo de métodos mistos, que parte de uma análise de um conjunto exploratório de recursos de acesso à informação para depois selecionar casos para análise qualitativa, concluímos que a sistemática jurídica do ato de classificação torna-o um ato não submetido a mecanismos de accountability social ou horizontal. O artigo possui duas contribuições às atuais discussões sobre transparência e controle social. Do ponto de vista teórico, argumentamos que o ato de classificação impõe obstáculos institucionais à regra de que, nas democracias, deve-se tomar decisões que permitam a incorporação informada das pessoas. Do ponto de vista empírico, o estudo demonstra que a não submissão a mecanismos de controle pode permitir a sobre-classificação de informações por órgãos públicos. Nas conclusões, apontamos possíveis pesquisas futuras sobre o tema.Escola Brasileira de Administração Pública e de Empresas da Fundação Getulio Vargas2021-03-08info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttps://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/8312910.1590/1679-395120200005Cadernos EBAPE.BR; Vol. 19 No. 1 (2021); 138-151Cadernos EBAPE.BR; Vol. 19 Núm. 1 (2021); 138-151Cadernos EBAPE.BR; v. 19 n. 1 (2021); 138-1511679-3951reponame:Cadernos EBAPE.BRinstname:Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)instacron:FGVporenghttps://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129/78985https://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129/78986Cunha Filho, Marcio CamargoAntunes, Luiz Fernando Toledoinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess2022-06-03T19:40:31Zoai:ojs.periodicos.fgv.br:article/83129Revistahttps://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebapehttps://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/oaicadernosebape@fgv.br||cadernosebape@fgv.br1679-39511679-3951opendoar:2024-05-13T10:00:19.752777Cadernos EBAPE.BR - Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)true
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
Régimen legal de clasificación de información en Brasil: problemas teóricos y empíricos y su (in)compatibilidad con el orden jurídico democrático
Regime legal de classificação de informações no Brasil: problemas teóricos, empíricos e (in)compatibilidade com a ordem jurídica democrática
title The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
spellingShingle The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
Cunha Filho, Marcio Camargo
Freedom of Information Act
Transparency
Classified Information
State Secrets
Office of the Comptroller General
Lei de Acesso à Informação
Transparência
Classificação de Informações
Segredos de Estado
Controladoria-Geral da União
Ley de Acceso a la Información
Transparencia
Clasificación de Información
Secretos de Estado
Contraloría General Federal
title_short The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
title_full The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
title_fullStr The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
title_full_unstemmed The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
title_sort The legal regime of classified information in Brazil: theoretical and empirical problems and adequacy with a democratic constitutional order
author Cunha Filho, Marcio Camargo
author_facet Cunha Filho, Marcio Camargo
Antunes, Luiz Fernando Toledo
author_role author
author2 Antunes, Luiz Fernando Toledo
author2_role author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Cunha Filho, Marcio Camargo
Antunes, Luiz Fernando Toledo
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Freedom of Information Act
Transparency
Classified Information
State Secrets
Office of the Comptroller General
Lei de Acesso à Informação
Transparência
Classificação de Informações
Segredos de Estado
Controladoria-Geral da União
Ley de Acceso a la Información
Transparencia
Clasificación de Información
Secretos de Estado
Contraloría General Federal
topic Freedom of Information Act
Transparency
Classified Information
State Secrets
Office of the Comptroller General
Lei de Acesso à Informação
Transparência
Classificação de Informações
Segredos de Estado
Controladoria-Geral da União
Ley de Acceso a la Información
Transparencia
Clasificación de Información
Secretos de Estado
Contraloría General Federal
description Freedom of Information laws are governance tools aimed at promoting government transparency, increasing public participation in government activity, and enhancing government trust. Nevertheless, do these laws enable the disclosure of sensitive documents? This article analyzes the legal regime of classified information and its practice in the Brazilian federal executive agencies, discussing the regime’s compatibility with the country’s current democratic system. The research adopts mixed methods based on analysis of an exploratory set of appeals to information requests, selecting cases for qualitative analysis. We argue that the legal regime of classifying information is not subject to effective social or horizontal accountability. This article has two contributions to contemporary discussions regarding public transparency. From a theoretical point of view, the study demonstrates that the information classification system imposes obstacles to the general rule stating that democracies must allow informed participation of people in the political process. From an empirical perspective, the article demonstrates that the lack of accountability mechanisms can lead public agencies to overclassify public information. In conclusion, we suggest the need to rethink the very existence of a legal regime of classified information due to its inherent problems.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021-03-08
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv https://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129
10.1590/1679-395120200005
url https://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129
identifier_str_mv 10.1590/1679-395120200005
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv por
eng
language por
eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129/78985
https://periodicos.fgv.br/cadernosebape/article/view/83129/78986
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Escola Brasileira de Administração Pública e de Empresas da Fundação Getulio Vargas
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Escola Brasileira de Administração Pública e de Empresas da Fundação Getulio Vargas
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Cadernos EBAPE.BR; Vol. 19 No. 1 (2021); 138-151
Cadernos EBAPE.BR; Vol. 19 Núm. 1 (2021); 138-151
Cadernos EBAPE.BR; v. 19 n. 1 (2021); 138-151
1679-3951
reponame:Cadernos EBAPE.BR
instname:Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)
instacron:FGV
instname_str Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)
instacron_str FGV
institution FGV
reponame_str Cadernos EBAPE.BR
collection Cadernos EBAPE.BR
repository.name.fl_str_mv Cadernos EBAPE.BR - Fundação Getulio Vargas (FGV)
repository.mail.fl_str_mv cadernosebape@fgv.br||cadernosebape@fgv.br
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