Considering the way WikiLeaks and its publishing of secret diplomatic cables and classified documents related to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have prompted debates about the public's right to know and transparency in government, the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas has decided to highlight information access laws throughout Latin America.
This map from the Knight Center's blog compiles information about each country's law and it's effectiveness. For example, in early December, El Salvador became the latest country in Latin America to approve a freedom of information law. Still, some countries, like Costa Rica, Brazil and Cuba, remain without a law that specifically regulates access to public information.
This map is the latest in a series of original projects from the Knight Center. Other projects include a Twitter feed on social media and freedom of expression, a map of threats against journalists in Mexico, and a map of electoral censorship in Brazil.
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
