Martin Rosenbaum

FOI Network With the FOI Network we want to gather a range of different organisations with an interest in maintaining Freedom of Information. If you or your organisation are interested in more information, pleas...

Don't forget to sign up to indicate interest in joining the new #FOI Network: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

FOI Fest 2026 Last Thursday, a diverse set of people with a common interest came together at Birkbeck College in London for FOI Fest — a one day conference examining the successes, challenges and future of the Free...

You can take a look at the written overview on our blog at www.mysociety.org/2026/02/26/f... ...and...

FOI Fest 2026 - YouTube FOI Fest 2026 was held on 19th February and was co-organised by the FOI Network. Find out more here: https://www.mysociety.org/transparency/foi-network/foi-f...

3 things you need to know:

Videos from #FOIFest are now online and can be seen at youtube.com/playlist?lis...

...or...

YouTube video by mySociety FOI Fest 2026 - Skills session: Martin Rosenbaum

Here is my 10-minute talk from the FOI Fest conference: youtube.com/watch?v=_jjH... . It's a quick tour of some FOI lessons I have learnt - about persistence, phraseology, timing and the FOI requester's Venn diagram, with a positive note at the end!

YouTube video by mySociety FOI Fest 2026 - Keynote 1, Warren Seddon

And you can watch all the FOI Fest talks here (it was a very good day, so they're worth watching if you weren't there) - www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3Rz...

YouTube video by mySociety FOI Fest 2026 - Skills session: Martin Rosenbaum

Here is my 10-minute talk from the FOI Fest conference: youtube.com/watch?v=_jjH... . It's a quick tour of some FOI lessons I have learnt - about persistence, phraseology, timing and the FOI requester's Venn diagram, with a positive note at the end!

UK Information Commissioner, John Edwards, IAPP UK Intensive 2026, keynote speech Good morning and thank you for having me today. IAPP London is always an important one in the UK’s data protection calendar, and it's one I’ll always make time for - it’s a valuable opportunity to spe...

It seems John Edwards has just announced he is stepping down: "This is my last appearance here as Information Commissioner ... This is also my first, and last, appearance as the Chair of that new Board" [the new board being created in the new governance structure] www.linkedin.com/pulse/uk-inf...

Very good example, many thanks for sending!

Another very useful summary thread of yesterday's #FOIFest

This thread from @mysociety.org summarises the points I made in my talk at #FOIFest yesterday - and all the other talks too, with lots of very useful & interesting insights

Scot Parl has voted for the general principles of Katy Clark MSP's FoI Reform Bill but amended by @suewebbermsp.bsky.social to 'highlight the time pressure in the current parliamentary session and the views in the stage 1 report, including that FoI reform should be addressed in the next parliament'

Ministers gifts and hospitality - UK Gov Ministers gifts and hospit... Republishing ministers gifts and hospitality register

One of the things we publish is a big spreadsheet joining up all the ministerial disclosures in the same format (december disclosures starting to come in) pages.mysociety.org/ministers-gi...

Text reads: Support the Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill Photo shows CFoIS Director Carole Ewart and Katy Clark MSP at the Scottish Parliament

Text reads: The Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee concluded in its Stage 1 report on the Freedom of Information Reform (Scotland) Bill that “legislation is now needed to update the freedom of information regime in Scotland.” MSPs should show their support for this conclusion by voting for the Bill at Stage 1 and send a clear message that strong FoI rights and duties matter.

The SPPA Committee concluded in its Stage 1 report that “legislation is now needed to update the freedom of information regime in Scotland.”

MSPs should show their support by voting for the Bill at Stage 1 and send a clear message that strong FoI rights and duties matter.

#FoIReformNow

FOI Fest 2026 Thu, Feb. 19, 2026

🚨 ONE WEEK TODAY 🚨

Join us at Birkbeck College, London & online for

FOI FEST 2026

- Keynotes from ICO & Scottish Info Commissioner, followed by discussion
- Lightning talks
- Skills sessions

Sign up now: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo...

And for FOI Network updates: www.mysociety.org/transparency...

Good to see some points being made about these citations now that they are public

FOI Fest 2025 19th February, Birkbeck University of London + online

In-person tickets for FOI Fest have almost sold out, so act now if you are hoping to join us in London: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo... (online spaces are limitless, but still a good idea to book now while you're thinking of it!). #FOI #freedomofinformation

Just spotted @foodgov.bsky.social appear to have joined Bluesky (h/t @ukhsa.bsky.social)

Have added to my UK (central) government organisations Starter Pack - please shout if I've missed any others that have joined in recent weeks!

go.bsky.app/JHsY1Wz

(More info bsky.app/profile/gavi...)

MoJ orders deletion of UK’s largest court reporting archive Courtsdesk, which supports the media in monitoring records, is an important tool for journalists and the move raises concerns over open justice

The Ministry of Justice has ordered the deletion of the UK’s largest court reporting archive.

This risks undermining open justice, and I believe, undermines the public accountability role of the press by making it harder to see what is going on in the courts.

www.thetimes.com/article/77b0...

FOI Fest 2026 FOI Fest 2026 will be held at Birkbeck University of London and online. Full venue and joining details will be shared a few days ahead of the conference. Draft Schedule Time Location Session / A...

Keynotes from the ICO and Scottish Information Commissioner!

Discussions on what FOI has changed - and what comes next!

Skills sessions!

Lightning talks!

FOI Fest schedule! www.mysociety.org/transparency...

Sign up now for 19 Feb! Free! pretix.eu/mysociety/fo...

Although SA Certification is a private company not covered by FOI, it falls under the Environmental Info Regs because of its special powers used to perform environmental functions in the public interest. Tribunal decision here: caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukftt/grc/20...

The Soil Association subsidiary which certifies products as organic has to comply with the Environmental Info Regulations, according to the latest tribunal ruling on which bodies come under the EIR. The case involves access to inspection reports for organic salmon farms.

The draft schedule for #FOIFest is now online at www.mysociety.org/foifest2026!

If that looks right up your street, register at pretix.eu/mysociety/fo..., and come along in person or online.

#FOI #ATI #FreedomofInformation

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee's report, while agreeing legislation is needed to update FOI regime in Scotland, recommends against advancing the current private members' bill digitalpublications.parliament.scot/Committees/R...

The Scottish Information Commissioner has instructed his solicitors to bring legal proceedings against the Scottish Government in the Court of Session. This follows a failure by the Scottish Government to provide evidence of compliance with a December 2025 decision requiring the Scottish Government to disclose some information relating to the James Hamilton Report into the conduct of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and associated legal advice.

For the first time the Scottish Info Commissioner @foi.scot has launched legal action against a public authority - the Scottish Government - for failing to comply with an FOI decision.
www.foi.scot/statement-sc...

Yes you're right about that - I've been waiting 4 years for some Obama presidential records and I don't expect to get them soon

From today you can make a FOIA request to the Trump Presidential Library for records from Trump's first term of office - www.trumplibrary.gov/research/sub...

My quote in this important article:

FOI Fest 2026 Thu, Feb. 19, 2026

Just under a month away!

Join @mysociety.org and others (in London and online) for FOI FEST 2026

Keynotes, discussions, lightning talks, skills tasters

Thursday 19 February

Sign up here: pretix.eu/mysociety/fo...

The Foreign Office informed the Danish ambassador in London that the UK would only recognise their complete sovereignty over Greenland on one condition: that ‘should Denmark ever wish to dispose of the island, she would grant the right of pre-emption to the British Empire’.

Greenland: my archive research last year on how a century ago the UK briefly tried to assert an interest in the territory of Greenland but the Danes resisted - rosenbaum6.substack.com/p/no-britain...

It's there now, I can listen to it