From Social Science Research Network:
It is now received wisdom that a properly functioning democracy requires transparency and accountability — information shared with the public that allows the public to know what its government is doing. It is equally uncontroversial to say that social media allows for an unprecedented amount of informal but structured dissemination and analysis of information.
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Read More… from Research Paper — “The Social Layer of Freedom of Information Law”
From Bluegrass Institute:
The fight for government transparency in Kentucky never ends.
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Here are several interesting items of note in the last couple days regarding costs associated with fulfilling public records requests—and the fighting thereof.
Granted, if not these then at least some agencies likely have used or will use costs—actual or estimated, reasonable or outlandish—as a way of deflecting criticism when requested records are not searched for adequately or are ultimately not located, and that is unacceptable.
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From Local Open Government Blog:
Social media is an issue for local government everywhere as shown by the Jackson (Mississippi) Fire Department’s recent foray into internet posting policies. A disgruntled former employee created a Facebook post with unsavory information about the Fire Department, forcing the Department into a conversation about its social media policy.
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Read More… from Social Media: An Opportunity and a Threat for Public Entities
From Politico.com:
A Memphis newspaper won a round Tuesday in its battle for access to the FBI's files on a famous civil rights era photographer who reportedly spied on top civil rights leaders for the agency in the 1960s.
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A few open government and FOIA news items selected from many of interest that we might or might not have drawn attention to earlier:
South Dakota GOP official joins with Democrats to support open government
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From New Mexico Foundation for Open Government:
The fight for transparent government in New Mexico has a new general.
The Board of Directors of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government announced today the appointment of its next Executive Director, Gwyneth Doland. Doland, a journalist and longtime Albuquerque resident, will take the helm of the statewide non-profit organization Feb. 20.
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Read More… from Open government group names new executive director
