What is the difference between public records and private records?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

There are different types of documents or records. Public records generally include all types of documents (including papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, and so forth) that are either manually or electronically prepared, maintained, or received in the course of the operation of a public office or agency. Public records may also refer to items that are received or maintained by a private person on behalf of a public office or agency that are not otherwise subject to protection from disclosure (this prevents public records from being placed into the hands of a private person for the purpose of avoiding disclosure). Public records, as the name implies, are available to the general public for review. In contrast, private records are those documents that are held privately by a person or entity. These records cannot be viewed by any other parties without the owner's express consent.