Archiving Text Messages

Mobile phones have without doubt transformed the way people conduct business. They have become the preferred channel of communication for many organizations, including those in the regulated sector. The obvious benefit of mobile communication is that 90 percent of the text messages are read within three minutes and 90 percent are answered within a minute. As one of the major communication channels being used in workplaces nowadays, SMS text messaging is considered as a public record in most states, and therefore it should be captured and retained formally in case they get requested under the public’s right-to-know mandate. Even with all the efforts, many agencies still do not meet their text archiving responsibilities. According to a report that was published recently, of 70 percent of federal, county, state and city government organizations that allow use of SMS/text for official business communication, 46 percent of them are not archiving the text messages. Failure to m...

We live in an era where there is increased use of personal mobile devices for work-related discussions. People are constantly using unconventional means to discuss work-related business, and government officials are no longer turning a blind eye to this fact. For instance, a city attorney can send a text message to a colleague instead of an email or use their personal device instead of an official city phone. These messages are being recognized as matters of public record, meaning that secure FOIA text archiving in a proper manner is needed. In 2011, the office of the attorney general of Texas ruled that emails as well as text messages that are sent between public officials should be considered public information that is subject to the Texas Public Information Act. Before this ruling, a city in Texas had received a request for emails and SMS text messages that are sent between the commission members of the city, the senior personnel and the city secretary. Even though the cit...

Leaders in government institutions are no longer turning a blind eye to the fact that everyone uses personal mobile devices for work-related discussions. Today, a lot of people are using formerly unconventional means to discuss business matters. For instance, it is not surprising anymore to see a city attorney sending a text message to a colleague instead of using email, their personal device or an official city phone. Due to this, it is only fair that these messages or communications be legally recognized as matters of public record.  Secure FOIA text archiving is the proper manner in which these messages can be handled. In early 2011, the Office of the Attorney General of Texas ruled that text messages as well as emails that are sent between public officials can be considered as public information subject to the Texas Public Information Act. Prior to this, a city in this state had received a request for emails and SMS text messages that are sent between the commission...