- Value [1] Transparency
- An Open Government is one that is “transparent.” In the words of President Barack Obama, it treats information maintained
by the government as a “national asset” which should be disclosed rapidly, “in forms that the public can readily find and
use,” while safeguarding privacy and national security. Government-supplied information can help citizens hold the public
sector accountable by shining a light on government activity – whether it be detailed government spending information, the
progress of key government projects, or White House visitor logs. Government data can help citizens hold the private sector
accountable by providing information on private sector behavior -- such as emissions of harmful chemicals, which led to public
scrutiny that drove companies to reduce these emissions by 40% over a 14-year period. Government data can spur the creation
of new services that benefit the public, like new websites that enable people to track flight delays and restaurant health
inspection scores – websites which sprung up rapidly after government data on these subjects was posted online. Government-supplied
data can even spur the development of entire new sectors of activity, as happened with the release of government weather data
(virtually all weather data comes from the government) and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite navigation data.
- Value [2] Participation
- An Open Government is one that is “participatory.” It is one that recognizes that a government that is disconnected from the
people is one that will become increasingly ineffective over time at serving the needs of the people. It’s a government that
seeks to tap into the experiences, ideas, and expertise of people across the country. In the words of the President, “Knowledge
is widely dispersed in society, and public officials benefit from having access to that dispersed knowledge” – to help them
stay abreast of issues facing citizens, formulate the right regulations and policies, and execute the work of government programs
in a way that produces maximum benefit for the public.
- Value [3] Collaboration
- An Open Government is one that is “collaborative.” It’s one that recognizes that in order to meet the challenges of the 21st
century, teamwork is the order of the day. President Obama: “Collaboration actively engages Americans in the work of their
government. Executive departments and agencies should use innovative tools, methods, and systems to cooperate among themselves,
across all levels of government, and with nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individuals in the private sector.”
- Value [4] Efficiency and Effectiveness
- Above all, an Open Government is one that works better – a government that harnesses the principles of transparency, participatory
democracy, and collaboration to produce the best possible results for the American people.
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