Report Finds Gaps in Federal E-Mail Records - GAO Says Agencies Are Inconsistent in Preserving Electronic Documents
From the Washington Post:
Federal officials inconsistently preserve government e-mail, creating gaps in the public record and making it difficult for the public to understand the activities of the government, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office yesterday.The report came before a scheduled House vote today on a bill that would create standards for the electronic storage of e-mail by federal agencies.
As the use of e-mail has increased dramatically, federal agencies are struggling to determine which e-mails can be deleted, which must be preserved as public records and how those records should be stored.
Current law gives agencies broad discretion to determine how electronic records and communications are maintained. Quality varies widely, according to the GAO.
Read the GAO Report: Federal Records: National Archives and Selected Agencies Need to Strengthen E-Mail Management (GAO-08-742)