Budget Transparency: A World Bank report, “Financial Management Information Systems and Open Budget Data,” finds that only 48 of 198 countries (24 %) have websites providing an opportunity to monitor the budget.
Global Data Alliance: A of a recent meeting to consider the formation of an international Global Data Alliance.
Research: In the current issue of Governance, Monika Bauhr and Marcia Grimes of the University of Gothenburg show that an increase in transparency in highly corrupt countries tends to breed resignation, rather than indignation over corruption. Bauhr and Grimes explain how our understanding of the link between transparency and corruption control “remains more anchored in normative conviction . . . than empirical investigation.” Read the article.
FOIA Adventures: David Higgerson, the journalist and Digital Publishing director for Trinity Mirror, reports about a British requester who learned that the government did a short research report into her interests and activities.
United States: The White House issues a report on policy issues at the intersection of big data and privacy.
Open Government Guide: The Open Government Guide (http://www.opengovguide.com/) developed last year by the Transparency and Accountability Initiative is now available in Spanish http://www.opengovguide.com/?lang=es, and now also in a summary version in French, in a translation developed by Republique Citoyenne (http://republiquecitoyenne.fr/guide-du-gouvernement-ouvert/) A new resource page on local government (http://www.opengovguide.com/local-government/) has been created.
Aid Transparency: The EU has launched a new website aimed at improving the transparency of development aid, an effort deemed commendable, but poorly executed, EurActiv France reports. The EU Aid Explorer presents information on donors, beneficiaries, sectors and trends in EU aid.
Open Data: Global Integrity’s Nathan Heller posts on the topic of “Four Myths About the Data Revolution.”
Open Government: What’s in a name? Global Integrity’s Nathan Heller writes about “labeling confusion around open government/data/everything.”
Employment: The New England First Amendment Coalition is advertising for an executive director.
Freedom of the Press: The 2014 report from Freedom House.
United States: Is the White House subject to FOIA?, an answer from the FOIA ombudsman.
Technology: The New America Foundation and the MIT Information Policy Project issue a report commissioned by the Ford and MacArthur Foundations and authored by Freedman Consulting, LLC, which examines the underlying causes and possible solutions to address this technology talent gap.
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