Obligation in Finnish records and information management laws

IF 2.1 Q2 INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE

ARCHIVAL SCIENCE Pub Date : 2025-09-12 DOI:10.1007/s10502-025-09515-8

Tuija Kautto

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This article examines the interaction between recordkeeping concepts and deontic modality in expressing obligations in selected Finnish records and information management (RIM) laws, translated into English by the authorities. It identifies which recordkeeping concepts appear in deontic contexts, their discoverability, and how their meanings differ between legal texts and terminologies. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the study maps the frequency of relevant terms, codes legislative excerpts, and compares conceptual usage across legal and recordkeeping frameworks. Findings reveal inconsistent use of recordkeeping concepts and syntactic complexity that obscures their connection to modality expressions. The study recommends interdisciplinary collaboration in legislative drafting, development of nationally adapted yet internationally informed terminologies, machine-readable legal texts, and clearer distinctions between types of information—particularly in public authorities—to improve legal clarity, enforceability, and automation in multilingual digital systems. The study also elucidates structural and semantic factors that may hinder the interpretation and implementation of legal mandates. Although grounded in the Finnish context, the findings are transferable and offer insights for jurisdictions facing similar challenges in aligning legal language with digital recordkeeping practices.

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芬兰记录和信息管理法中的义务

本文考察了记录保存概念和道义形态之间的相互作用，在选定的芬兰记录和信息管理（RIM）法律中表达义务，由当局翻译成英语。它确定了哪些记录保存概念出现在道义上下文中，它们的可发现性，以及它们在法律文本和术语之间的含义如何不同。采用定性和定量方法，该研究绘制了相关术语的频率图，对立法摘录进行了编码，并比较了法律和记录保存框架中的概念用法。研究结果显示，记录保存概念的使用不一致，语法复杂性模糊了它们与情态表达的联系。该研究建议在立法起草方面开展跨学科合作，制定适合本国国情但又符合国际标准的术语，制定机器可读的法律文本，并更明确地区分信息类型（特别是在公共机构中），以提高多语言数字系统中的法律清晰度、可执行性和自动化程度。这项研究还阐明了可能妨碍解释和执行法律任务的结构和语义因素。尽管研究结果基于芬兰的背景，但具有可转移性，并为在将法律语言与数字记录保存实践相结合方面面临类似挑战的司法管辖区提供了见解。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

ARCHIVAL SCIENCE INFORMATION SCIENCE & LIBRARY SCIENCE-

CiteScore

2.70

自引率

18.20%

发文量

期刊介绍： Archival Science promotes the development of archival science as an autonomous scientific discipline. The journal covers all aspects of archival science theory, methodology, and practice. Moreover, it investigates different cultural approaches to creation, management and provision of access to archives, records, and data. It also seeks to promote the exchange and comparison of concepts, views and attitudes related to recordkeeping issues around the world.Archival Science''s approach is integrated, interdisciplinary, and intercultural. Its scope encompasses the entire field of recorded process-related information, analyzed in terms of form, structure, and context. To meet its objectives, the journal draws from scientific disciplines that deal with the function of records and the way they are created, preserved, and retrieved; the context in which information is generated, managed, and used; and the social and cultural environment of records creation at different times and places.Covers all aspects of archival science theory, methodology, and practiceInvestigates different cultural approaches to creation, management and provision of access to archives, records, and dataPromotes the exchange and comparison of concepts, views, and attitudes related to recordkeeping issues around the worldAddresses the entire field of recorded process-related information, analyzed in terms of form, structure, and context