# Do I own all my information?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-own-all-my-information/203693>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 25, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-own-all-my-information/203693 "2003-09-25T05:38:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-own-all-my-information/203693/1 "2003-09-25T05:38:45Z")

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Lets suppose I want to create an auto-dossier…I collect ALL information about myself from such sources as school records, credit ratings, FBI files :eek: , anything OUT THERE on paper or in a computer which has information about me.

Can I use the Freedom of Information Act because I have the Right to Know stuff thatis about me or pertains to me, or do some individuals/organizations have the right to privacy and deny me my own info?

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**Author:** ![Phage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a4c791/32.png) [@Phage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phage)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-own-all-my-information/203693/2 "2003-09-25T10:33:40Z")

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The only people I think who would be able to deny you info would be government offices, and I think only then the FBI, CIA, or NSA would have any reason. In that case you can just think back to what you actually did, which is knowledge you already have.

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**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-own-all-my-information/203693/3 "2003-09-25T10:52:02Z")

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The freedom of information act only applies to the government. You can’t compel any private companies not working on the governments’ behalves to give you anything.

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**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-i-own-all-my-information/203693/4 "2003-09-25T11:05:52Z")

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If the FBI doesn’t have a file on you and you ask for whatever information they have on file, they will tell you they have nothing.

Then they start a file.