Pentagon Refusing to Release Data on Comprehensive Subcontracting Plan Test Program
The Pentagon is refusing to comply with Freedom of Information Act requests for specific data on the volume of subcontracts awarded by any of the nation's twelve largest defense contractors participating in the 25-year-old Comprehensive Subcontracting Plan Test Program. read more ...
Porn threatens network security of public institutions
One inquisitive General Services Administration employee has threatened the US agency's security by his/her rather enthusiastic pornography consumption in the workplace. According to records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, said employee would access pornographic content and dating sites for two hours a day, resulting in a phishing attack on GSA email accounts. read more ...
Utility companies are tearing up thousands of city streets to make repairs without permits
Thousands of city streets are being torn up by utility firms making repairs without permission, city records show. The number of fines levied against Con Ed, KeySpan Energy and smaller construction companies for illegally chopping up streets has rise ...
Supreme Court of Canada: limits on government disclosure include policy options
The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) has issued a unanimous decision in John Doe v Ontario (Finance) 2014 SCC 36 that outlines the parameters on the ability of the public to access information under Ontario’s Freedom of Information and Protection ...
Three big open government funders help launch new ideas
Do you have an idea that has the potential to transform how citizens interact with their government on a local, state, or even national level? Turning that potential into reality is a process that faces many challenges. But first things first: Where ...
Releasing Drone Program Memos Is Fundamental to Government Transparency
On May 13, the Center for Effective Government joined other open government organizations in urging Attorney General Eric Holder not to appeal the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York Times Co. v. Department of Justice. In April, the Second Circuit ruled that the government must disclose the legal analysis justifying the government's drone-based targeted killing program, in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request by the Times. read more ...
Vermont’s open meetings work is not finished
For decades Vermont has been at the bottom of the list of states for the public’s right to know the truth about government operations, records and meetings. Two years ago, with the strong support of Gov. Peter Shumlin, Secretary of State Jim ...
Editorial: Vote YES on Prop 42 if you value open-government. Vote no if you prefer secrecy
Prop 42, on the ballot for California’s June 4 election, will amend the Constitution to assure that local governments are legally bound to observe open-government requirements. If you prefer transparency to secrecy in your city government, loca ...
Civic hacking is taking off
The open government movement has become super-charged over the last year. Largely in part to the people and organizations on the front lines. At the 2013 Code for America Summit held in San Francisco, California, I got a chance to speak with some of ...
The best and brightest in open government at TransparencyCamp 2014
It's Open Government Week at Opensource.com, and the Sunlight Foundation is celebrating by bringing amazing people and projects together in open government, open data, and civic hacking. Join like-minded folks at TransparencyCamp in Washington D.C. on May 30 and 31. TransparencyCamp has brought together hundreds of people to share their knowledge about how to use new technologies and develop policies to make our government really work for the people—and to help people work smarter with our government. read more ...
