One of the cases currently before the Supreme Court addresses whether corporations have privacy interests that exempt some information from Freedom of Information demands in the same way that information about individuals may be exempt. The court has already heard oral arguments in ATT v. FCC but has not issued its ruling yet.
Iin the meantime, Rep. Deutch of Tennessee has introduced a bill in Congress: H.R 484, the Personal Privacy Clarification Act. The purpose of the bill is to amend title 5, United States Code, to clarify the personal privacy exemption in the Freedom of Information Act.The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Grijalva.
The guts of the bill are simple:
SEC. 3. CLARIFICATION OF PRIVACY EXEMPTION.
Section 552(b)(7)(C) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking `personal privacy’ and inserting `the privacy of any individual’.
The bill was introduced January 26 and was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.