Blog

Coronavirus shutdown during Sunshine Week is solemn reminder of the need for greater transparency

Sunshine Week, the annual nationwide celebration of access to government information, ends tomorrow. Like almost everything else, the coronavirus pandemic affected the open government community and government entities’ plans to highlight   Read Full

March 20, 2020

Who’s watching who? A guide to monitoring the use of facial recognition tech where you live

Fifteen seconds could reveal police surveillance in your hometown. By Beryl Lipton A New York Times investigation recently introduced the country to Clearview AI, a small and secretive facial recognition company. Clearview says   Read Full

January 24, 2020

Data Breaches Spotlight Need for Greater Contractor Oversight by Congress

Americans are once again reading about another massive data breach that affects their privacy. This week, Capital One went public with a credit file breach affecting more than 100 million   Read Full

July 31, 2019

Enough with Congressional Hearings on Facial Recognition: Pointers to Regulate the Technology

Recent news headlines about federal agencies using facial recognition technology to scour state databases around the country for Americans’ driving licenses without their knowledge or permission is rightfully drawing the   Read Full

July 16, 2019

Supreme Court Rules Against Transparency, Sides with Secrecy

Last week, the Supreme Court ruled against the public’s right to information involving government dealings with private companies and corporations. Following the Court’s ruling, a business need only claim that   Read Full

July 1, 2019

Access to government spending data in limbo as SCOTUS considers FOIA case

On April 22, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Food Marketing Institute v. Argus Leader Media, a case that is likely to reveal the Court’s first interpretation of a   Read Full

May 6, 2019

Kevin McAleenan Requests Additional Border Funds as Coalition of Over 100 Organizations Condemn DHS Surveillance of Activists, Journalists, and Lawyers

Before his testimony to Congress today asking for more border funds, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan was the recipient of a coalition letter from over 100 organizations   Read Full

May 2, 2019

Sunshine and Shadows – Part 2

In Sunshine and Shadows – Part 1 we summarized some of Sunshine Week’s events, noting highs and lows in civil society efforts to advance openness in government. Now we’ll dive   Read Full

March 22, 2019

Sunshine and Shadows – Part 1

Sunshine Week, an annual celebration of the importance of open government and freedom of information, wrapped up earlier this month. Now is a good time to highlight some of the   Read Full

March 21, 2019

Keeping information about waste, fraud and abuse from the public is what is “insane”

In a meeting with his new acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, the president called the practice of making watchdog reports about the U.S. military public “insane.”   Read Full

January 3, 2019