The open government directive

Abstract

President Obama has committed his administration to a presumption of openness in government. In this paper, the authors examine the 2009 Open Government Directive (OGD) and federal agencies' Open Government Plans to identify the drivers, trends, and challenges in establishing this posture. To provide perspective, the paper assesses the Directive within the context of the existing legislative framework and the plans themselves. The authors consider the impact of the OGD's dominant emphasis on technology. The paper concludes with suggested areas for future research with an eye towards advancing an understanding of open government through the lenses of society, policy, and technology.