Obligation in Finnish records and information management laws

Abstract This article examines the interaction between recordkeeping concepts and deontic modality in expressing obligations in selected Finnish records and information management (RIM) laws, translated into English by the authorities. It identifies which recordkeeping concepts appear in deontic contexts, their discoverability, and how their meanings differ between legal texts and terminologies. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the study maps the frequency of relevant terms, codes legislative excerpts, and compares conceptual usage across legal and recordkeeping frameworks. Findings reveal inconsistent use of recordkeeping concepts and syntactic complexity that obscures their connection to modality expressions. The study recommends interdisciplinary collaboration in legislative drafting, development of nationally adapted yet internationally informed terminologies, machine-readable legal texts, and clearer distinctions between types of information—particularly in public authorities—to improve legal clarity, enforceability, and automation in multilingual digital systems. The study also elucidates structural and semantic factors that may hinder the interpretation and implementation of legal mandates. Although grounded in the Finnish context, the findings are transferable and offer insights for jurisdictions facing similar challenges in aligning legal language with digital recordkeeping practices.