From Washington, DC, to cities, states and countries all around the world, open government is shaping a new definition of what it means to serve the citizens of a country – and how to be an engaged citizen. Open government is revolutionizing the way citizens interact with government leaders. It connects like-minded citizens with each other, with government agencies and with many other types of organizations.
In the US, the open and accountable government President Obama mandated from his first day in office intentionally involves citizens in a way that’s participatory, collaborative and transparent. It even calls on citizens to help solve national problems. Citizen scientists, for example, have created platforms to collect and aggregate data on landslide tracking information, which provides warnings about landslide triggers
Government is more effective when it gathers input from the public as it makes decisions. By harnessing input and expertise from a wide array of voices, we can continue to strengthen government.
Open Data: What It Is, Where It Comes From and Why It Matters
To support open government initiatives and uphold the values of transparency, participation and collaboration in the US, federal agencies now make their data open. This means making data publicly accessible in a format that can be shared. Highlighting the significance of open data, President Obama signed the nation’s first legislative mandate for data transparency, the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act), in May 2014.
Open data from the government gives citizens the information they need to hold government leaders accountable. On the flip side, soliciting expertise from people outside of government helps leaders form policies based on the latest, most comprehensive information possible. Open data fosters collaboration between government leaders and citizens, and encourages cooperation internally among government entities. The results can be tremendously better decisions that have the potential to change our lives drastically.