The right to information has been interpreted as referring to access to public information through proactive transparency measures carried out by public authorities and through the adoption of specific processes through which people can request information held by the state. This understanding of the right to information is outdated, static and incapable of delivering on the informational needs of citizens in a digital society, especially given a rapidly changing technological landscape. The current recognized international standards on the right to information must be expanded to include other crucial dimensions beyond accessibility, such as availability, quality, stability, ethics, cultural appropriateness, agency and usability. Together, these additional dimensions will provide not only access to information for rights-holders, but also “information sovereignty.”
