ARTICLE · 25 APRIL 2016

FOI Just Got Cool: Access Request For Obama's Advance Copies Of Game Of Thrones

Norton Rose Fulbright Canada LLP

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There are obviously some perks that come with power and influence.

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There are obviously some perks that come with power and influence. In most of the democratic world, it also comes with some transparency requirements.

Barack Obama, apparently a Game of Thrones fan, was reportedly provided with an advance copy of the new season.

On learning about this, a New-York journalist, Vanessa Golembewski, a writer for the website Refinery29, filed a freedom of information request to get her hands on Mr. Obama's copy.

This might be the second most creative FOI request I've heard of since the London Band "The Get Out Clause" who could not afford a camera crew, performed in front of London's CCTV cameras, requested access to footage of their personal information, and put it together in a video.

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