Abstract:

The specifics of changes resulting from the introduction of information and communication technologies also concerned public administration. Innovative solutions introduced in order to modernise traditional forms of managing public information have shaped a new type of e-government. The globalization process and the development of information society have had an indispensable impact on expanding the scope of e-access to public information. Unfortunately, information and communication systems are at risk of various types of cyber threats, which is why providing public information might often be hampered or impossible.
The aim of the paper is to present the concept of universal e-access to public information as part of e-government, taking into account legal regulations in force in Poland. The study will characterize the benefits and threats associated with managing e-information by administrative bodies. The paper provides answers to questions about the aspects that must be closely looked at by public administration when information and communication tools are used in order to be able to ensure transparency and accessibility of public information and security of information processing on the Internet. The research verifies the hypothesis according to which e-access to public information is a basic factor that promotes the principles of e-participation and e-democracy. However, noticing the increasing activity of cyber offenders, optimal organizational and legal solutions need to be created that will ensure cyber security of the information processed in e-repositories.
The study includes characteristics of e-government in the context of managing public information in information and communication systems. Additionally, types of cyber threats that e-access to public information is exposed to are presented on the example of Poland. In order to verify the research hypothesis, regulations concerning network security, e-services and e-government are analysed. The method of interpretation of applicable law and legal comparison methods are employed in the study. The research methods involve the analysis of legal acts with the use of relevant literature.