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Articles on Open government

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When government officials block access to information, the public suffers. fstop123/E+ via Getty Images

Growing secrecy limits government accountability

After years of anecdotes, data provides a fuller picture of government agencies hiding their work from the public they ostensibly serve.
The full text of a law may not be in this book – nor in its online equivalent. RunPhoto/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Key parts of US laws are hard for the public to find and read

It’s a long-standing principle that people should be able to read the laws that govern them. But many technical rules and standards are hard to find and access, even for lawyers or court officials.
Police see some difficult scenes; body cameras can record those and make them public. Tony Webster via Flickr

Body cameras help monitor police but can invade people’s privacy

Police body cameras have the potential to make private details about people’s lives, including some of the most stressful experiences of their lives, public and easily accessible online
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration said it would reject all freedom of information requests – and then reversed itself after public outcry. AP/Teresa Crawford

Government secrecy is growing during the coronavirus pandemic

One more casualty of the coronavirus pandemic: open government. Since the crisis began, local, state and federal officials throughout the United States have locked down information from the public.
Easy access to government documents is essential to a healthy democracy. As a federal election approaches, Canada needs to do better. (Shutterstock)

With election ahead, we need to make public records truly public

As a Canadian federal election year dawns, an alternative approach to freedom-of-information legislation is an urgent need.
One government transparency movement may now be threatened by the other. Shutterstock

Could the open government movement shut the door on Freedom of Information?

During Sunshine Week, three scholars of government transparency look at a potential collision between the old freedom of information movement and the new open government movement. Is there room for both?
Communicative and responsive leaders could well be the main ingredient for citizens to participate. www.shutterstock.com

Responsive leaders needed to encourage citizen participation

Complaint systems, such as the government initiative LAPOR!, will fail to build trust if bureaucracies are unresponsive.
The future of citizenship is more distributed, interactive and local than dealing with central government through new technology. That may be sad news for those who wish to interact with the likes of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in virtual reality if not in person. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz)

Canada in 150 years: People power will shake up society

The disruptive impact of intelligent machines and new social movements will force us to remake citizenship into a more personal pursuit over the next 150 years.
Demonstrators march against corruption in Cape Town. South Africa has some way to go to plug a public accountability deficit. Reuters/Mike Hutchings

South Africa has work to do to make government more accountable

South Africa’s end of term report at the helm of the Open Government Partnership shows that it failed to meet key targets it set for itself. But it also shows improvements in some areas.
Unemployed graduates in Tunisia demonstrate to demand that the government provides job opportunities. Reuters/Zoubeir Souissi

A vibrant civil society is central to democratic consolidation in Tunisia

In the wake of the Arab Spring the international community lauded Tunisia’s political transition to democracy. But a plethora of challenges may threaten democratic consolidation in the country.

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