Users’ rights to published accounting information: nature, justification and implications

By specifying long lists of users of published financial reports, accounting authorities may be raising the expectations of users for corporate accounting information. Discusses whether the raising of these lists creates users’ rights to information. Rights to information has been a theme, without in‐depth examination, both in conceptual frameworks and the general accounting literature. Conducts such an examination, revealing both the bases for, and justification of, the rights claimed within the accounting literature. After identifying what rights are claimed, justifications proffered by their proponents are investigated to establish the validity of these rights. Concludes that accounting’s frameworks need a rights‐based approach to ensure that fairness and justice are extended to those named as users.