Latest posts by David Sasaki from May, 2010
[Report] Technology for Transparency
This report is the culmination of four months of research examining the objectives, challenges, successes, and effects of online technology projects that aim to promote transparency, political accountability, and civic engagement. It presents case studies, conclusions, and recommendations toward making the grassroots use of technology more effective in improving governance worldwide.
Technology for Transparency Review, Part VI
This post concludes the first phase of our research into the role of technology in the transparency and accountability movement by offering conclusions and recommendations related to projects of crime mapping, extractive industry transparency, local government, private sector transparency, and advocacy.
Technology for Transparency Review, Part V
Representative democracy, while necessary, takes citizens away from the decision making process. While traditional media tend to focus on individuals more than issues, a new generation of websites are combining parliamentary information with social media tools to give citizens more information about the profile and activities of their representatives, and to become more active in the legislative process.
Technology for Transparency Review, Part IV
While San Francisco's residents may be eager to send their local government a photograph of a pothole via Twitter, the same program might not be as effective in other communities where expectations of political representation and responsiveness are lower. Here is our review of civic complaint initiatives worldwide.
Technology for Transparency Review, Part III
New tools like Many Eyes and Ushahidi allow regular citizens to take part in election and budget monitoring. But our review of such initiatives so far reveal that much is still lacking until they make a measurable impact of increased accountability.
The Aid Transparency Movement
The momentum of the aid transparency movement is palpable, but without greater coordination and aggregation, so much transparency will lead to more confusion than clarity. Raw data must be presented in ways that are easy to understand, and that tie directly to accountability initiatives at the local and national level in each country.
Global Voices Summit Begins Soon!
After a few months of planning and one very disruptive earthquake, we're now less than 10 hours from starting this year's Global Voices Citizen Media Summit 2010.
