Viranomaistiedon

Viranomaistiedon, or information held by public authorities, refers to documents, data and records produced or received in the course of official government, municipal or other public administration activities. The term is widely used in Finnish public discourse to describe information that relates to the work of authorities and that may be accessed by the public under specific rules. It encompasses both traditional paper records and electronic data, as well as databases, registers and metadata produced by public bodies.

The legal framework for viranomaistiedon is grounded in the principle of public access to information. In Finland, the key provision is the law on the publicity of government activities, commonly known as the Publicity Act (Laki viranomaisten toiminnan julkisuudesta). The act generally guarantees the right to access official documents and information, while allowing exemptions for reasons such as privacy, security, or the protection of confidential or sensitive information. Data protection laws, including provisions related to personal data under the GDPR and national data protection regulations, also govern how viranomaistiedon can be processed and shared.

Access and use of viranomaistiedon vary. Some information is publicly available without formal requests, such as certain open data or published reports. Other materials require a formal information request to a relevant authority, which may involve processing time, possible redactions, or fees for copies. Public access supports transparency, accountability, journalism, research and citizen participation, while privacy and confidentiality are protected where appropriate.

Open data initiatives and official portals provide channels to explore viranomaistiedon, including non-sensitive datasets and government-generated information suitable for reuse.