Transparencia Estatal y Datos Personales

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 21

INTRODUCTION 23

CHAPTER 1

THEORETICAL CONCEPTS ON THE PROBLEM OF THE DISCLOSURE OF STATE-HOLDEN PERSONAL INFORMATION 35

1.1. The Problem of the Disclosure of State-Hold Personal Information Based on the Public-Private Dichotomy 38

1.1.1. Origin and Nature of the Public-Private Dichotomy 38

1.1.2. Specific Manifestations of the Public-Private Dichotomy 44

1.1.2.1. The Collective and the Personal 45

1.1.2.2. The State and the Individual: Subjects of Power 46

1.1.2.3. Open Space, Closed Space: The Geography of Power 48

1.1.2.4. Visibility, Secrecy: The Episteme of Power

1.1.3. Public-Private Dichotomies and State-Held Personal Information 54

1.1.3.1. (Absolute) Conception of Concurrent Rights 54

1.1.3.2. The Classification of Personal Information 56

1.1.3.3. The Status of the Subjects Holding Personal Information 58

1.1.3-4. The Type of Interest Associated with Personal Information 60

1.1.4. Final Considerations 62

1.2. The Problem of Publicity of State-Held Personal Information as a Collision of Fundamental Rights, Based on R. Alexy's Theory of Principles 63

1.2.1. Origin and Content of the Theory of Principles 64

1.2.1.1. The Distinction Between Rules and Principles 65

1.2.1.2. Subsumption and Balancing as Methods for Applying the Law 68

1.2.1.3. Fundamental Rights as Optimization Mandates and as Principle-Type Norms 73

1.2.2. The Rights of Access to Public Information and the Protection of Privacy and Personal Data as Principles and Optimization Mandates in Colombia and Mexico 75

1.2.2.1. The Characterization of Rights as "Principles" as a Problematic Issue 75

1.2.2.2. Paradoxical Situations 81

1.2.3. Final Considerations 84

1.3. Conclusion of Chapter 1 85

CHAPTER 2

LEGAL ARTICULATION OF THE PROBLEM OF THE DISCLOSURE OF STATE-HOLD PERSONAL INFORMATION 87

2.1. The Colombian Case: The Absence of Normative Articulation between the Regimes of the Right of Access to Public Information and the Rights to the Protection of Privacy and Personal Data 90

2.1.1. The Starting Point 90

2.1.2. Constitutional Reform and the Decisions of the Constitutional Court 91

2.1.3. Habeas Data Laws and the (Implicit) Waiver of Articulation 95

2.1.4. The Reform of the Law on Transparency and Access to Public Information and the (Great) Missed Opportunity 98

2.1.5. The Lack of Legislative Consistency as a Constant 10:

2.1.6. Interpretative Problems of the Different Legal Regimes Regarding the Publication of State-held Personal Information 103

2.1.6.1. First Antinomy 104

2.1.6.2. Second Antinomy 107

2.1.6.3. The Classification Apparatus 108

2.1.7. Conclusion 109

2.2. The Mexican Case. Normative Articulation between the Regimes of the Right of Access to Public Information and the Rights to the Protection of Privacy and the Protection of Personal Data 111

2.2.1. Deliberate Articulation as a Starting Point 111

2.2.2. Limiting Access to Information: Classification Techniques 114

2.2.3. The Double Rule-Exception System II6

2.2.4. Characterization of the Double Rule-Exception System in Secondary Regulations 118

2.2.5. The Original Importance of the Right to Privacy 120

2.2.6. The Chameleon-Like Role of the Right to Personal Data Protection 122

2.2.7. The Consolidation of the Double Rule-Exception System 125

2.2.8. The Two Versions of the Public Interest Test in the General Transparency Law 128

2.2.9. Secondary legislation of the General Transparency Law 133

2.2.10. The new Federal Transparency Law, a companion to the General Transparency Law 135

2.2.11. Conclusion 136

2.2. Conclusion of Chapter 2 137

CHAPTER 3

CASUISTIC OF THE PROBLEM OF DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION HELD BY THE STATE 141

3.1. Cases related to the problem of disclosure of personal information held by the State, resolved by the Colombian Constitutional Court 144

3.1.1. Sample selection 144

3.1.2. Analysis of the caseload 146

3.1.2.1. Classification of personal information: the constant element 146

3.1.2.2. The Content of the Rights to Privacy and Habeas Data 148

3.1.2.3. The Content of the Right of Access to Public Information 150

3.1.2.4. The Marginal Role of the Notion of Public Interest 151

3.1.2.5. The Absence of a Uniform Method 152

3.1.3 Conclusions 155

3.2. Cases Related to the Problem of Publicity of Personal Information Held by the State Resolved by the Mexican Transparency Authority 158

3.2.1. Sample Selection 158

3.2.2. Analysis of the Cases 160

3.2.2.1. As a General Rule, All Personal Information Held by the State Is Confidential 160

3.2.2.2. Relevance of some rules on the content of the rights to privacy and personal data protection 165

3.2.2.3. Relevance of some rules on the content of the right of access to public information 168

3.2.2.4. The centrality of the notion of public interest: a key criterion for exceptionally resolving the disclosure of personal information 172

3.2.2.5. Methodologies for resolving the problem of disclosure of personal information held by the State 175

3.2.3. Conclusions 181

3.3. Conclusion of Chapter 3 184

CHAPTER 4

METHOD FOR RESOLVING THE PROBLEM OF DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION HELD BY THE STATE 189

4.1. The rule-exception system as a general framework for resolving the problem of disclosure of personal information held by the State 192

4.1.1. Two models for resolving the problem of disclosure of personal information held by the State: Colombia and Mexico 193

4.1.1.1. The Colombian model of demonstrated confidentiality of personal information 194

4.1.1.2. The Mexican model of maximalist protection of personal information 198

4.2. The constitutional justification of the rule-exception system 202

4.2.1. Three arguments on the constitutional justification of the rule-exception system 204

4.2.1.1. The presumption of constitutionality and the reservation of law 204

4.2.1.2. Concurrent fundamental rights as legally configured rights 208

4.2.1.3. Respect for the Minimum Content of Concurrent Fundamental Rights from the Perspective of Constitutional Dogmatics 212

4.2.2. Dynamic Reading of the Constitutional Justification of the Rule-Exception System 216

4.2.3. Updating the Constitutional Justification of the Rule-Exception System and the (Reported) Dogmatic Problems in Its Design and Operation 220

4.3. Corrective Update of the Constitutional Justification and Modification of the Rule of Prevalence 227

4.3.1. Alteration of the Rule of Prevalence and the Problem of Opportunity 228

4.3.2. The Simple Weighting Proposal 229

4.3.3. The Marginal Utility of R. Alexy's Theory of Principles to Resolve the Problem of Publicity of State-Held Personal Information 233

4.3.3.1. Theoretical Reasons 233

4.3.3.2. Empirical Reasons 235

4.4. Conclusion of Chapter 4 240

CHAPTER 5

PERSONAL INFORMATION 245

5.1. Problems Related to the Definition of Personal Information 248

5.1.1. The Legal Definition of Personal Information in Colombia and Mexico 250

5.1.2. Implications of Adopting the European Model for Defining Personal Information 255

5.1.3 The Emphasis on the Potential to Identify and the Nature of Identifiers 259

5.1.3.1. Name 260

5.1.3.2. Unique National Identification Number 263

5.1.3.3. Biometric Data 267

5.1.4. The Maximalist Approach and the Dilution of the Importance of Supporting Media: The Case of the Public Document 272

5.2. The Definition of Personal Information and Its Relationship to the Duty to Protect It 276

5.2.1. Two Alternative Approaches to the Duty to Protect Personal Information 277

5.2.1.1. The Definition of Personal Information Based on the Risk of Harm: Eloise Gratton's Thesis 277

5.2.1.2. The Protection of Personal Information Based on Its Relationship to Context: Helen Nissenbaum's Thesis 280

5.3. Classifications of Personal Information 285

5.3.1. Arguments Regarding Personal Information Classifications 286

5.3.1.1. Possible Arguments Against 286

5.3.1.2. Possible Arguments in Favor 288

5.3.2. First Major Classification: Public Personal Information 291

5.3.2.1. Classification Criteria 291

5.3.2.2. Public Personal Information and the Mexican Model 293

5.3.2.3. Public Personal Information and the Colombian Model 296

5.3.3. Second Major Classification: Sensitive Personal Information 301

5.3.3.1. Classification Criteria 301

5.3.3.2. Paradoxes 302

5.3.3.3. Sensitive Personal Information in Colombia and Mexico 303

5.3.2.4. Alternative Criteria 308

5.4. Conclusion of Chapter 5 311

CHAPTER 6

THE RIGHTS TO THE PROTECTION OF PRIVACY AND PERSONAL DATA, AND THE PROBLEM OF THE DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION HELD BY THE STATE 315

6.1. A Problematic Approach to the Distinction Between the Rights to the Protection of Privacy and the Protection of Personal Data 318

6.1.1. Dependence on Origin 318

6.1.2. The Community of Protected Objects: Personal Information 325

6.1.2.1. Legal Forms of Protection of Personal Information 325

6.1.2.2. The Scope of Personal Information as an Object of Protection 327

6.1.3. Some Differences in the Scope of Protection 330

6.1.3.1. Soren Oman's Restrictive Thesis on the Scope of Protection of the Right to Personal Data Protection 335

6.1.3.2. The Scope of Protection of the Right to Personal Data Protection in Colombia and Mexico 339

6.2. Alternatives for Substantiating the Rights to Privacy and Personal Data Protection 348

6.2.1. Four Interpretive Criteria 348

6.2.1.1. Secrecy 348

6.2.1.2. Control and Consent 350

6.2.1.3. Participation 352

6.2.2. Interpretative Criteria and the Colombian Case 356

6.2.3. Interpretative Criteria and the Mexican Case 363

6.3. Conclusion of Chapter 6 369

CHAPTER 7

THE RIGHT OF ACCESS TO PUBLIC INFORMATION AND THE PROBLEM OF DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION HELD BY THE STATE 375

7.1 Personal Information Held by the State as the Object of the Right of Access to Public Information 378

7.1.1. The Object of the Right of Access to Public Information and the Principle of Maximum Publicity 378

7.1.1.1. Literal Interpretation and the Argument Based on the Nomen Iuris of the Right 378

7.1.1.2. The Principle of Maximum Publicity 380

7.1.2. Two Theses on Personal Information Held by the State as an Object of the Right of Access to Public Information 384

7.1.2.1. The Indifference Thesis 385

7.1.2.2. The Restrictive Thesis 388

7.2. The Scope The Right of Access to Public Information as Personal Information 39

7.2.1. The Scope of the Public and the Public Interest 39

7.2.1.1. The Public Interest in Personal Information as Part of Specially Protected Speech and the Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights 398

7.2.1.2. The Public Interest as a Metacriterion in the Mexican Model 405

7.2.2. Personal Information Linked to Public Matters as State Matters 409

7.2.2.1. The Exercise of Public Power 409

7.2.2.2. Public Resources 410

7.2.2.3. Public Servants 41 I

7.2.3. Personal Information Incidental to Public Matters as State Matters and the Problem of Interest 412

7.2.3.1. The Problem of the Type of Interests to Be Weighed and the Concept of Publicity 416

7.2.4. Excluded Publicity 418

7.3. Alternatives for Substantiating the Right of Access to Public Information 420

7.3.1. Five Interpretive Criteria 420

7.3.1.1. Democratic Criterion 421

7.3.1.2. Rule of Law Criterion 422

7.3.1.3. Governance Criterion 423

7.3.1.4. Transparency Criterion 424

7.3.1.5. Instrumental Freedom Criterion 426

7.3.2. Interpretive Criteria in the Colombian Case 428

7.3.3. Criteria in the Mexican Case 432

7.4. Conclusion of Chapter 7 440

GENERAL CONCLUSION 445

On the General Argument of the Thesis 445

On Other Findings 447

On Some Pending and Future Aspects 450

REFERENCES 453

1. Bibliography and Periodicals 453

2. Other Sources 470

2.1. The Inter-American System 470

2.2. Colombia 471

2.3. Mexico 475

2.4. Europe 481

2.5. Various Sources 482