I just noticed a new TED Talk by the first and former White House Deputy CTO Beth Noveck, delivered in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is really the initial instigator of the modern Open Government movement in the United States and is now working to make it a reality worldwide. What I like best about her talk is the litany of examples that are happening all over the world – from painting the national budget on hundreds of walls so that locals can comment on it to a Texas wiki that lets citizens and businesses comment on regulations. Take a look:
Beth predicts that there are two phases to open government: making better information and data available to the public – what is traditionally known as transparency. The second phase is being ushered in as more and more people are able to collaborate and participate in their government in new and unique ways.She also says that the current words we have to talk about what’s happening are inadequate – equality, fairness, representation – and that they aren’t “exciting” enough to compel citizens to take action.
1. What is your favorite example of open government? Maybe it’s something happening in your agency or local government.
2. What words or ideas are exciting enough to wake up citizens (aka you and me!) and get more of us involved in the government decision-making that impacts us every day?