Records of marriage licenses, property or handgun ownership and court documents are increasingly becoming available to the average person online.

Although it raises concerns for people who wish to maintain personal privacy, ISU professors said they believe online records are a positive step.

“I think it has become a lot easier to find out about people’s lives,” said Barbara Mack, associate professor in journalism who specializes in media law. “I think that is a good thing.”

Mack said a significant amount of information can be discovered about a person using open public records.

For example, it is possible to find out if someone has paid taxes, how much their taxes were, if they have a registered handgun, if they own a dog or a cat or if there are any court decisions relating to the person, she said. “If a record is created and maintained by the government, it is presumed to be open,” Mack said.

Records used to only be available in the office in which they were maintained.

As technology advances, offices are beginning to provide records online as well, she said.

Paul Overton, deputy assessor for the city of Ames, said the assessor’s office provides information about property records and ownership online.

One of the only things the public is not able to do on the Ames City Assessor’s Web site is search for a property by owner. An online property search can only be done by address, Overton said.

Diane Voss, Ames city clerk, said everything in her office is public record. It is common for people to come into the office to view city documents, she said.

Most people come to see deeds, assessments or agreements the city has made. Minutes from commission or board meetings and cemetery records are also made public, Voss said.

But most of this information is not available online, she said.

Mack said the Iowa Courts Web site, www.iowacourtsonline.org, is a good online resource.

The site provides information about trials, hearings, court filings, financial summaries and property information, she said.

With easily accessible information comes privacy concerns.

Dick Haws, associate professor of journalism, said he understands concerns about privacy. However, he said he believes information should not be restricted.

Open and available records prevent false claims, Haws said.

“Someone can claim something, and the news media has no way of checking to see if it’s true,” he said.

The benefits of providing public records outweigh risks like identity theft, Mack said. She said identity theft can occur with or without online public records.

“People have to be smarter consumers these days,” Mack said. “Identity theft has always been frighteningly easy.”

Mack said the only thing needed to steal someone’s identity is their Social Security number.

“People need to be aware they need to protect their Social Security number vigorously,” she said.

People should never give out their Social Security number unless it is “absolutely necessary,” Mack said.

Social Security numbers are not needed for court records, marriage licenses or registering pets, she said.

“There is almost nowhere in the government where a Social Security number is used at local or state level,” Mack said.

Haws said the availability of online records will only increase with time.