Public Information and the Generational Divide

Older folks seeking public records via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) look to a government official and ask, “May I have...?”  They wonder how long they must wait for a response and how much it will cost.

Millennials seeking public records, expecting proactive disclosure, look at their tablets and ask themselves, “Where can I find...?”  More and more the information will be at their fingertips. They don’t worry about cost, knowing the information will be free.

Older folks wishing to improve FOIA can beseech their legislators, but are often ignored.

Millennials, determined to exploit new technology, look to people like Derek Dobies of Jackson, Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, John Lui of New York and Dr. Clifford Lampe at the University of Michigan for guidance.

It's almost as if the two groups occupy parallel universes. The older group seems to dwell on tinkering with the clunky model of information by request to a government gatekeeper, for all appearances oblivious to the fast, easy and free access available online through proactive disclosure.

Communities with governments that resist proactive disclosure will decline.

Communities with governments that practice openness will thrive.

How do I know? I read tarot cards.

Small City To Make Data Accessible Online

The City of Jackson, MI  (population approximately 33,500) has teamed up with the University of Michigan and the Sunlight Foundation to establish an open data portal online similar to the one pioneered by the City of South Bend, IN last year. The Jackson Chamber of Commerce has joined in the effort.
  

The new system is expected to benefit residents and businesses alike by simplifying and speeding up information acquisition and reducing the cost of acquisition.  City government will achieve more efficient inter-departmental data sharing, as well.

Making vast amounts of information accessible online reduces substantially the costs to the city of responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.  (The city would continue to expend employee hours redacting partially exempt records, for which information seekers could be billed.)

Dr. Clifford Lampe of U-M's School of Information leads the university's contingent in the collaboration.  “He researches the social and technical structures of large scale technology mediated communication...” and “...has also been involved in the creation of multiple social media and online community projects...”

Last year, Lampe told Jackson Citizen Patriot reporter Will Forgrave that  “the three-year project will have graduate students develop mobile and social media apps designed to streamline communication between Jackson citizens and their leaders.”

As the software gets better and more widely applied year by year, the cost will come down, putting the technology within reach of even smaller communities.  Municipal budget planners should take a close look at this kind of cost-cutting innovation.