Conference Agenda

The Icelandic government has reached an agreement with Microsoft and introduced a Data Security Classification policy, allowing most public data to be stored in foreign cloud services. State records are regulated by the Public Archives Act and National Archives guidelines. This paper examines the impact of this agreement and the security classification on daily information management practices in the public sector in Iceland, an area that has not been thoroughly explored.

This research explores the experiences and perceptions of information specialists in Iceland regarding information security in their workplace due to increased cloud service usage for data storage, concurrent with the implementation of the Icelandic government's Data Security Classification policy. To gain a better understanding of the impacts and potential consequences of increased cloud usage on data storage affecting citizens' rights, administrative interests, and the preservation of Icelandic national history, the study seeks to answer the following research questions:

• What are the experiences and perceptions of information management specialists working in public administration regarding information security during increased cloud solution usage?

• How has the preparation for implementing the Icelandic state's data security classification policy been approached by public entities?

We present survey data on information security from members of the Icelandic Records Management Association and in-depth interviews on security classification and cloud computing with various information professionals. Foreign research have indicated various challenges resulting from increased cloud storage concerning the permanent preservation of digital data, which is interesting to explore in an Icelandic context. Our results suggest that the use of digital solutions has increased radically, while modifications of information- and record management systems are limited. While cloud processing of public data enables enhanced services through electronic and digital administration with transparency and efficiency as guiding principles, legal considerations such as ownership, control, and protection of data cannot be overlooked. The study sheds light on technical overconfidence alongside a lack of understanding of what the term record entails in daily business. The implications may include fragmented preservation of digital data and disconnection between digital strategies and the legal framework. Furthermore, the study contributes to the discussion about the impacts of digitization on the permanent preservation of public documents and potential consequences of fragmented storage on individual interests, administrative functions, and future archives.

This study presents an assessment of records management practices across 99 organizations in the Philippines, conducted using a variant of the World Bank Group Records Management Roadmap. The assessment identifies the current state and key issues in records management in the country, with a view towards addressing financial constraints, human resource challenges, outdated systems, lack of policy frameworks, and the need for training.

This study presents an assessment of records management practices across 99 organizations in the Philippines, conducted using a variant of the World Bank Group Records Management Roadmap. The organizations surveyed spanned a wide range of sectors, including government, education, healthcare, finance, information services, legal, military, and more, with the majority of respondents being universities and government agencies. The study was conducted as a self-assessment workshop using a Qualtrics questionnaire.

The assessment identified several key themes affecting the majority of respondents. Financial constraints were a major hurdle, with budget limitations impacting staffing, training, technology upgrades, and infrastructure development. Human resource issues, such as the lack of dedicated RM personnel and high staff turnover, were also prevalent. In addition, many organizations reported that records management practices were often deprioritized due to competing organizational demands, leading to insufficient management support and resistance to change. Employees were often hesitant to adopt new records management practices, particularly digital solutions. This was further compounded by a lack of training and awareness of standards, tools, and compliance requirements. Technological and infrastructure challenges, such as outdated systems and poor IT support, further exacerbated the difficulties. Many organizations also faced gaps in policy and compliance, particularly in the absence of clear retention schedules, auditing mechanisms, and comprehensive RM guidelines.

This research underscores the need to strengthen records management systems in the Philippines to ensure access, enhance transparency and good governance, and support a digital society. It also highlights the need for training records managers and archivists in leadership skills necessary to address change management concerns, advocate for resources and infrastructure, and develop and implement policies and compliance mechanisms that ensure adherence to good practices in records management.

Access to archival materials is an integral component of civil rights. The State Archives hold various types of documents, including those protected by copyright. How should such materials particularly online be made available while respecting the rights of creators and individuals to whom these materials pertain or represent? And how can this be done while meeting user expectations? These are the challenges state archives face daily.

Access to archival materials is an integral component of civil rights. The State Archives hold various types of documents, including those protected by copyright. How should such materials particularly online be made available while respecting the rights of creators and individuals to whom these materials pertain or represent? And how can this be done while meeting user expectations? These are the challenges state archives face daily.

At the beginning of this presentation, we will briefly describe the network of the State Archives (the General Director of the State Archives, three central archives, and 29 regional archives with branches) and their primary responsibilities, namely the collection, preservation, organization, and dissemination of archival materials. In Poland, archives fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and, under the law, are considered state administrative offices rather than cultural institutions, although their multifaceted activities and resources align them with the GLAM sector.

The most critical law for archives defines at the outset what archival materials are and their intended purposes: serving science, culture, the national economy, and the needs of citizens. The majority of archival materials are acquired from state and local government institutions, making official documentation the core of their holdings. The dissemination of such documentation is governed by specific regulations, often determined by other legal provisions, including retention periods, the protection of classified or proprietary information, and safeguarding personal rights.

However, the focus of this presentation is a different type of documentation from a legal perspective namely, works. Archival materials that constitute works protected by copyright law may include photographs, films, sound recordings, as well as letters, diaries, unpublished literary, journalistic, musical scores, and technical projects essentially, everything also preserved in our archives. According to the statutory definition, works are “manifestations of creative activity of an individual nature, established in any form, irrespective of their value, purpose, or manner of expression.” Within the structure of an archive's holdings, such works may constitute separate collections, units, or objects, or they may be components of other collections, series, or units as minor elements.

Introducing information about them into the global informational ecosystem, particularly the Internet, requires archives to ensure not only the protection of creators' rights but also other personal rights (such as the protection of image, honor, and memory) that could be unintentionally violated. Before publication, it is therefore necessary to determine, among other things, whether a given material constitutes a work, who its author is, who owns the economic copyright, and whether these rights are still in effect. If so, how can these rights be further protected?

Today, we strive to include appropriate provisions in agreements under which materials are transferred to archives, particularly concerning fields of exploitation. However, we had no influence over how such materials were acquired in the past, especially during the last century under a different political system. For this reason, we endeavor to review the legal status of works acquired during that time to enable modern users to access them anytime and anywhere.

This study explores the potential of archives to document drug-induced health damage, protect victims' rights, and raise societal awareness. While HIV-related harm gained global attention, other cases, like SMON, rely on victim organizations for documentation, with limited government and corporate support. Challenges include fragmented records, privacy concerns, and lack of international collaboration. Archival science offers solutions to address these gaps.

This study aims to demonstrate the potential of archives to document health damage caused by medication side effects and serve as tools for protecting the rights of victims whose lives and futures have been devastated. These archives also offer valuable lessons for society.

In Japan, despite numerous cases of drug-induced harm, public awareness varies due to differences in societal or international impact and the passage of time. For example, Eric A. Feldman’s research on the HIV/AIDS scandal highlights how the HIV drug-induced harm case gained international attention, raising public awareness in Japan. Media coverage of similar cases in the UK has also renewed concerns about such incidents and human rights violations.

However, public focus often centers on the causes of incidents and accountability, with less attention on the victims themselves. Archives can play a critical role in protecting victims' rights, preserving their stories, and raising global awareness, while also helping prevent future drug-induced harm.

To establish comprehensive drug-harm archives, it is necessary to document victims' activities, government policies, and pharmaceutical companies' actions. In Japan, however, preservation relies largely on victim organizations. For instance, SMON (Subacute Myelo-Optico-Neuropathy) litigation and activity records are stored in multiple institutions due to these organizations’ efforts. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare provides only subsidies, without preserving its own records, and pharmaceutical companies refuse to cooperate entirely.

This lack of comprehensive documentation limits the effectiveness of archives. Furthermore, victim organizations’ records are often inaccessible due to privacy concerns and personal information issues. This trend is common in drug harm archives and is a significant factor preventing the establishment of comprehensive archives. Additionally, several drug harm incidents are common internationally, and to build an international consortium of archives, it is necessary to establish common rules. However, if this issue can be resolved, it will be possible to share the problem of drug harm on an international level. Furthermore, it will allow for the protection of the existence and rights of drug harm victims.

This study examines how archival science can address these challenges and proposes potential solutions.