Privacy & Limits

Covers what public records cannot reveal and where privacy protections apply.

Assumptions That Lead People to Misread Public Records
Featured · Privacy & Limits

Assumptions That Lead People to Misread Public Records

Gaps, redactions, and outdated entries are easy to misinterpret. These are the most common reasoning errors people make with public records.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 6 min · Jul 12, 2024
Children's Records and the Privacy Protections That Apply
Privacy & Limits

Children's Records and the Privacy Protections That Apply

Minors enjoy stronger privacy protections under the law. Learn which records involving children are shielded and why access is restricted.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 8 min · Feb 17, 2024
Common Myths About What Background Checks Can Reveal
Privacy & Limits

Common Myths About What Background Checks Can Reveal

Many people assume background checks expose everything. Here's what they actually can — and legally cannot — surface about a person.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 6 min · Mar 24, 2026
Federal Privacy Laws That Shape What You Can Access
Privacy & Limits

Federal Privacy Laws That Shape What You Can Access

FERPA, HIPAA, DPPA — a plain-language breakdown of the federal laws that carve privacy protections out of the public record system.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 5 min · May 17, 2024
Financial Records and the Limits of Public Disclosure
Privacy & Limits

Financial Records and the Limits of Public Disclosure

Some financial records are public, but most personal financial data is protected. Here's what's accessible and what stays private.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 8 min · Jan 1, 2025
How Victim Privacy Laws Restrict Access to Certain Court Records
Privacy & Limits

How Victim Privacy Laws Restrict Access to Certain Court Records

Crime victim protection laws often shield names, addresses, and testimony from public view. Learn how these rules work across different case types.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 8 min · Mar 31, 2024
Information That Gets Redacted Before a Record Goes Public
Privacy & Limits

Information That Gets Redacted Before a Record Goes Public

Even released public records often have sensitive details blacked out. Here's what agencies routinely redact and the legal basis for it.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 6 min · Jan 10, 2024
Medical Records and Public Access: Where the Wall Is
Privacy & Limits

Medical Records and Public Access: Where the Wall Is

Health information is among the most protected data in the U.S. Understand exactly how HIPAA limits what enters the public record.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 9 min · Feb 21, 2023
Privacy in the Digital Age: How Online Aggregators Change the Picture
Privacy & Limits

Privacy in the Digital Age: How Online Aggregators Change the Picture

Data aggregator sites compile public records into detailed profiles. Here's what that means for personal privacy and what the law does — and doesn't — say.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 8 min · Feb 14, 2025
Public Records vs. Private Data: Understanding the Difference
Privacy & Limits

Public Records vs. Private Data: Understanding the Difference

Not all information about a person is public record. This guide clarifies where the public domain ends and private data begins.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 6 min · Jan 15, 2026
Sealed, Expunged, or Restricted: Why Some Records Disappear
Privacy & Limits

Sealed, Expunged, or Restricted: Why Some Records Disappear

Court records aren't always permanent. Learn what it means when a record is sealed or expunged — and what that means for public access.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 9 min · Jan 16, 2026
The Line Between Public Interest and Personal Privacy
Privacy & Limits

The Line Between Public Interest and Personal Privacy

Access laws try to balance transparency with privacy. Here's how courts and agencies draw that boundary in practice.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 9 min · Feb 10, 2023
What Public Records Actually Leave Out
Privacy & Limits

What Public Records Actually Leave Out

Public records reveal a lot — but certain details are legally sealed or redacted. Here's what you won't find and why.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 8 min · Mar 16, 2026
When Using Public Records Crosses a Legal Line
Privacy & Limits

When Using Public Records Crosses a Legal Line

Access doesn't equal unlimited use. Certain ways of using public record information — like stalking or discriminatory screening — are prohibited.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 8 min · Jul 3, 2024
Why the Same Record Can Be Public in One State and Sealed in Another
Privacy & Limits

Why the Same Record Can Be Public in One State and Sealed in Another

Public record access isn't uniform across the U.S. State laws create significant differences in what's available — and to whom.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 9 min · Jun 18, 2025
Your Rights When Public Records Contain Errors About You
Privacy & Limits

Your Rights When Public Records Contain Errors About You

Public records can be wrong — and errors can follow you. Learn what rights you have to challenge, correct, or contextualize inaccurate public information.

By Public Records 101 Editorial Team · 6 min · Jan 6, 2024