The Swedish principle of public access to official records, which dates back to the 1766 Freedom of the Press Act, is a cornerstone of Swedish democracy and the legal system. The central meaning of the principle is that citizens should be able to scrutinize the activities of public authorities, which is ensured by a right to access public documents. However, societal developments may be overturning the self-evident position that the principle of public access to official records has hitherto occupied. The digitization of society and the Europeanization of Swedish law present new challenges to the principle of public access. Information about individuals that is publicly available from the authorities is being disseminated on a massive scale by commercial actors online and risks being exploited by organized crime. At the same time, increased demands are being made under European law for Sweden to balance the interest in public access against individuals' right to privacy in a more nuanced way. This development means that it is increasingly questioned whether the principle of openness still works as intended. To remain relevant in a society where both technological and legal landscapes are rapidly changing, the Swedish principle of openness must be critically and unconditionally examined. This research project aims to explore how the principle can be adapted and developed to continue to guarantee openness and transparency, while protecting individual privacy.