Comparison of the FOIA and Privacy Act

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was passed in 1966 and became effective July 4, 1967, and the Privacy Act was passed in 1974 and became effective September 25, 1975. Both Acts were passed as a result of hearings on the abuse of power and information. However, the Privacy Act was particularly inspired by not only the abuses of power and information from the collection of information on American citizens but also the Watergate scandal and the rising growth of the use of computers to store information on the public. While at first glance the FOIA and the Privacy Act seem quite similar, there are in fact distinct and important differences in their objectives.

The IAPP additionally published an accompanying article providing a comparison and analysis of the FOIA and Privacy Act.