Review of passive transparency in Brazilian city councils

Abstract

The goal of this study is to investigate compliance with the requirements of passive transparency in city councils of Brazilian municipalities with populations greater than 300,000 inhabitants. The research is descriptive, operationalized by a survey with predominantly qualitative approach. The data collected from 79 city councils were analyzed using the descriptive analysis technique. Three groups were identified in the city councils analyzed: first, city councils to which it was not possible to submit the request for information; second, city councils to which the request for information was submitted, but there was no reply or the response was insufficient; and third, city councils to which the request for information was submitted and there was satisfactory response. The scenario shows little passive transparency before the technological apparatus was available. There are city councils that violate a series of legal provisions regulating the transparency of government actions. The study stands out for diagnosing the current situation of passive transparency in the city councils of the largest Brazilian municipalities, revealing how the law, in general, can be violated, and not taken seriously.