Right to Be Informed

The right to be informed is the right to timely and accurate information about matters that concern you. The right to be informed is a fundamental human right, protected by international human rights law, which requires that individuals have access to information on matters of public interest. The right to be informed should not be confused with the right to information, which refers specifically to access to official documents held by public bodies.

The right to be informed is closely linked with other rights such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly. It also extends into the area of corporate social responsibility (CSR), where companies are required by law in some jurisdictions to provide information about themselves, their products, and their activities in order to ensure they are accountable for their actions.

In many jurisdictions, companies are also required by law to disclose information about their activities and products. In theory, this means that consumers should have access to accurate information about products so they can make their own decisions about whether or not they want them or can afford them. In practice however, many companies do not adhere strictly enough to these laws and fail to provide sufficient or accurate enough information for consumers.