Transparency
Government transparency means making public information about government decisions, operations, and records available so people can understand and scrutinize how public power is used. Laws such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) create specific rights to request certain federal agency records, subject to exemptions and procedural requirements.
Government transparency means making public information about government decisions, operations, and records available so people can understand and scrutinize how public power is used. Laws such as the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) create specific rights to request certain federal agency records, subject to exemptions and procedural requirements.
Example: Congress strengthened FOIA in 1974 after Watergate-era concerns about government secrecy, expanding public access to agency records and setting rules for withholding information.
Common misconception: Transparency means every government record must be released immediately and without redaction. Federal law includes exemptions, including protections for national security, personal privacy, and certain law-enforcement records.
Sources: https://www.justice.gov/oip/history; https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?edition=prelim&num=0&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title5-section552