Free Information

The question of "free information" has grown to a much larger scale in this day and age. Copyright laws have reached gray areas, which makes it difficult to distinguish what is legal and what is not. The Foundation for a Free Information Infrastructure (FFII) and Free Government Information (FGI) are both effective websites at making claims and sustaining them through various rhetorical strategies. The most important strategy to both agencies, in order to convince their audiences, is ethos, or a claim of authority. The FFII establishes this by explaining that the organization is non-profit, has spread across twenty European countries, and has won numerous awards for the protection of citizens and their rights.

The FGI takes a slightly different route to prove its authority. Its website celebrates the fact that an article written by members of the organization is being published in a magazine. Another person affiliated with the FGI was honored for his acceptance of the James Madison Award, which "honor[s] individuals or groups who have championed, protected and promoted public access to government information and the public’s 'right to know' on the national level."

The right to free speech and free information can be a tricky matter. There is a fine line between use and abuse of the right to free speech. Finding that balance is a delicate issue and requires significant thought to achieve.