Demand for transparency in government is growing as ordinary citizens are increasingly losing trust in their elected officials. In the United States, studies by the Pew Research Center show that the public’s trust in the federal government continues to be at historically low levels, with only 19% trusting it to do what is right. Despite the many pledges that governments around the world are making on this front, including a multinational Open Government Partnership launched by President Obama in 2011, there remain many ongoing challenges in making citizens an active part of the political and democratic process.
In recent years, technology, along with the efforts of many organizations and initiatives, has provided an unprecedented ability to access and share information to hold NGOs, companies, and many prominent figures accountable for their actions. Continue…
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