The Act comes into effect on 1 January 2005 and gives the public greater access to the records and archives of nearly all public authorities in the UK.
freedomofinformation.co.uk describes the background to the Act and outlines the implications for both public and private sector bodies.
"In our experience the public are not especially aware of the Act and, as with any complicated legislation, it needs to be explained in plain English," said site founder John Ashton.
"We're doing our bit to increase awareness."
Journalists will find the Act gives them better access to records for hospitals, schools, councils and other public organisations. There is also likely to be interest in the relationship between the public and private sector, especially controversial areas such as private finance initiatives (PFI).
Many PFI contracts are routinely published, but it will now be easier to access more contentious documents such as contract assessments and compliance reports.
Mr Ashton has a background in investigative journalism but recognised the need for advice on the Act during consultancy and training projects with the NHS. He found PR staff were concerned about meeting the requirements of the Act, particularly around handing out possibly controversial material.
Mr Ashton teamed up with the Latitude web team to create a site that would offer guidance for organisations on these issues, while helping the public to take advantage of their new rights.
Although the Act might prompt officials to restrict the amount of sensitive material they commit to paper, supporters hope it will improve the level of trust between the public and the government.
"The Act has got to be a good thing. It will increase accountability and transparency. I very much welcome it and I think it is good news for all journalists," Mr Ashton told dotJournalism.
More news from dotJournalism:
Web censors accused of cover up
See also:
freedomofinformation.co.uk: http://www.freedomofinformation.co.uk
freedomofinformation.co.uk update: http://www.freedomofinformation.co.uk/content/view/47/2
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