We live in an age where agencies collect huge quantities of information and can use it to affect the lives of individuals. Access to information, official and personal, helps society address the imbalance of power between individuals and public and business institutions.

But times have changed. For instance, the scope of the Official Information Act has expanded to encompass social media and other communications technologies. How meaningful are our access rights when it comes to texts and social media? Are agencies coping with the changed nature of communication? Do we need to consider changes to our right-to-access laws?

Come and hear from our access-to-information watchdogs, Privacy Commissioner John Edwards and Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier. Find out how the Privacy Act and the Official Information Act are vital tools for transparency in government and business.

This discussion will be facilitated by Dr Kathleen Kuehn, a senior lecturer in digital media and author of 'The Post-Snowden Era: Mass Surveillance and Privacy in New Zealand'.

Right to Know Day is an annual event marked in New Zealand by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner and the Office of the Ombudsman. It is also celebrated in a number of overseas countries including Canada and Australia. For more information about your right to know, contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner or the Office of the Ombudsman.

This Right to Know Day Forum will also be streamed live and the audience and viewers are encouraged to contribute questions for the panellists.