This essay examines the potential of the Internet for improving public access to official information and restoring public trust in the political process. It describes the differing use of the Internet by countries with and without freedom of information acts. It concludes that without a Freedom of Information Act guaranteeing an independently enforceable right of access to government held data, use of the Internet to enhance the accessibility of information will remain haphazard and public trust in the future online delivery of government services will be undermined.
This article was published as part of Liberating Cyberspace, a collection of essays on civil liberties and the Internet, edited by Liberty, and be published by Pluto Press