Afnotarétta

Afnotarétta is a term used in archival governance and certain branches of administrative law to describe the formal right to amend or delete a marginal notation attached to a primary record, without altering the main body of the document. It covers annotations, footnotes, or metadata that accompany official records and may affect interpretation or privacy.

Etymology: the word derives from Icelandic components: af- meaning 'out of' or 'from', nota meaning 'note', and rétta meaning 'to correct' or 'to right'. In practice, afnotarétta denotes a corrective or excision action applied to secondary markings rather than the core record.

Scope and use: It is invoked in contexts where a note is erroneous, outdated, or in violation of privacy obligations. It is not a replacement of the primary record but a procedural mechanism to suppress, replace, or reposition a note. A typical workflow includes a formal request, a review by a competent authority, a decision, and an update of the record with a clear audit trail.

Legal status and considerations: Availability varies by jurisdiction and system. Safeguards include verification, notification to interested parties, and preservation of history. Critics argue that afnotarétta can obscure information or enable hidden revisions; proponents say it improves accuracy and privacy protections when used transparently.

Example: In a public land registry, an erroneous annotation about a parcel boundary discovered after publication may be withdrawn via afnotarétta, with the corrected note recorded and an accompanying record of the change.

See also

- Archival governance

- Data governance

- Record management

- Privacy and records law