Government Transparency: What Should the Public Have a Right to Know?

In a democracy, public access to information can help people understand how decisions are made and hold institutions accountable. At the same time, some government information involves privacy, security, investigations, or sensitive decision-making.

At this meeting, we’ll explore how people across the political spectrum think about transparency, trust, privacy, and accountability in government.

We’ll explore questions such as:

• What do you think about the level of transparency we currently have in government? Where would you like to see more—or less?

• What kinds of government information should the public have a right to access?

• When is it appropriate or necessary for government information to remain confidential?

• How should we balance the public’s right to know with privacy, safety, national security, and the government’s ability to function effectively?

• Have you had an experience where greater transparency—or a lack of it—affected your trust in an institution or your understanding of a decision?

• What role should our existing democratic institutions play in determining what government information is made public?