The Problem with Government Transparency

The push for more and more government transparency has been moderately successful. In theory, if people have access to more information about what government is doing, they are better able to hold government and their elected officials accountable. The problem is that the push for transparency has been focused only on the availability of information, not the form and content. The result is a plethora of websites and on-line documents that is so overwhelming, even the most seasoned researcher is loathe to collect any useful data. This paper looks at the development and future of government transparency in the US and what it means for the average American.