News Archive
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IDB hosts roundtable on transparency
December 2011
On December 15, 2011, the Inter-American Development Bank hosts a roundtable discussion on Transparency and Integrity as a Condition for Sustainable Development. Discussants review the IDB’s strategic approach to transparency and anticorruption -- which employs the Transparency Policy Project's targeted transparency framework -- and discuss initiatives and progress at the country level in the US, Mexico, Brazil and Chile, including the Open Government Partnership, a global initiative launched in September of 2011 of which several IDB member countries are participants. View the webcast live at 10am EST.
National Academies report on disclosure of food safety data now available
December 2011
The National Research Council has published its report on the disclosure of food safety data: The Potential Consequences of Public Release of Food Safety and Inspection Service Establishment-Specific Data. In the course of its regulatory activities, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) collects large volumes of food safety data from firms that process meat, poultry, and egg products, some of which FSIS aggregates and publishes on its website. This new report responds to an FSIS request to study the implications of publishing disaggregated establishment-specific data. The Transparency Policy Project's David Weil served on the study committee.
National Academies releases report on disclosure of food safety data
November 2011
David Weil served on the National Research Council study committee to produce the report: The Potential Consequences of Public Release of Food Safety and Inspection Service Establishment-Specific Data.
In the course of its regulatory activities, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) collects large volumes of food safety data from firms that process meat, poultry, and egg products, some of which FSIS aggregates and publishes on its website. In response to an FSIS request to study the implications of publishing disaggregated establishment-specific data, the National Research Council is releasing the report The Potential Consequences of Public Release of Food Safety and Inspection Service Establishment-Specific Data. As part of the release, a one-hour public teleconference will be held on November 30 at 10:30 AM via WebEx. In this teleconference, the Chair of the study committee gives a brief overview of the committee’s charge and the findings and conclusions of the committee and then takes questions from teleconference participants. To participate in the teleconference, please follow instructions on the current project website.
Dara O'Rourke on transparency and ethical consumption.
November 2011
The Transparency Policy Project is hosting GoodGuide co-founder Dara O'Rourke on November 28, 2011 at the Harvard Kennedy School's Ash Center for Democratic Governance for a discussion of the promise and peril of mobilizing the ethical consumer through greater transparency. By simply downloading an app, consumers can access environmental, social and health impacts of more than 140,000 products. What does this mean for market interactions and for the governance of global supply chains? His talk is titled "Data is Power, or Is It? Mobilizing the Ethical Consumer" and will be held at 124 Mt. Auburn Street, Suite 200-North at 4pm.
MIT Transportation Showcase
November 2011
Yeling Tan presents on environmental transparency in China
November 2011
Yeling Tan, a pre-doctoral candidate in the Ph.D. in Public Policy degree program at the Kennedy School of Government, presents her paper titled "Clearing the Air? The Role of NGOs in China's Environmental Transparency Measures" at a brown bag lunch in the Ash Center. November 17th from 12noon-1pm at 124 Mt. Auburn Street, Suite 200-North, Room 226.
Michael Luca on the role of information in markets
November 2011
Michael Luca, Assistant Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, joins us at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation on November 10, 2011 from 12-1pm for a brown bag lunch presentation titled "Reviews, Reputation, and Revenue: The Case of Yelp.com".
Transnational Virtual Networks
November 2011
Archon Fung joins Dara O'Rourke and others for a panel discussion on the potential of new technologies to strengthen and build capacity within transnational networks of civil society groups at Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies on November 7. VISIT
BitCity: 2011
October 2011
Francisca Rojas presents as a panelist at the first BitCity: 2011 debate on "Transportation, Data, and Technology in Cities" on November 4 at Columbia University. She discusses research on the benefits and challenges of open data initiatives by transit agencies in the U.S. REGISTER.
Where's My Bus... and Beyond
October 2011
The Rappaport Institute for Greater Boston and the Transparency Policy Project co-sponsor a presentation by Francisca Rojas on how transit agencies across the U.S. released their data to the public on November 1 at HKS. The MBTA's Director of Innovation, Josh Robin, will comment. VISIT.
Urban Systems webinar on Communities of Transparency
September 2011
Francisca Rojas presents current research on when and how open data succeeds in bridging information gaps for the public. Using the example of how transit agencies opened their operations data to the public, this session traces the process and outcomes of a successful case of open data in action. VISIT.
White House champions disclosure as regulation.
June 2011
The White House issued principles of good design for public disclosure as regulatory tool in a memo issued by Cass Sunstein, Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. Download.
Weil on the causes and consequences of workplace restructuring
May 2011
Details behind food labels revealed.
January 2011
Upon scanning the bar code on food packaging, Fooducate, a free iphone app, will highlight additives, offer alternatives, compare similar products, and provide a letter grade. More information.
Participedia: New citizen participation in government.
November 2010
Based on a wiki platform, Participedia is a new tool for strengthening democracy. The main content of this new site consists of user-generated articles which describe and assess participatory governance throughout the world. Visit site.
Behavioral Economics and Regulatory Design
November 2010
DOL website delivers detailed data on worker protection programs.
October 2010
The US Department of Labor recently launches a site that enables users to search a number of different enforcement databases for information regarding employer violations of a range of major workplace protections—health and safety, workplace benefits provision, and labor standards compliance. Visit the site.David Weil advises government on protecting workers.
May 2010
David Weil's report for the U.S. Department of Labor entitled Improving Workplace Conditions through Strategic Enforcement was released. Download.
David Weil delivers a paper called Making Transparency More Transparent
February 2009
The Book is reviewed in Political Science Quarterly
November 2008
Jay Shimshack reviewed the book in Political Science Quarterly. In his comments he says that he suspects the book, "...is destined to become the definitive book in the area, and [he] recommend[s] it to academics commencing or conducting disclosure research, policymakers considering or refining information programs, and decision makers concerned about the impact of transparency on the organizational bottom line." A full copy of his comments made be ordered here.
Archon Fung delivers talk in Berlin
October 2008
MyFairElection
October 2008
Archon Fung created and maintained a website called MyFairElection during the 2008 election season that allowed people to rate their voting experience on election day in order to identify any issues or problems with the voting process.
Perspectives on Politics review
December 2007
David Weil invited speaker at National Press Club in WA, D.C.
September 2007
David Weil was an invited speaker at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. as a part of the Advancing Excellence and Public Trust in Government Symposium, a collaboration between Auburn University, The National Endowment for the Public Trust and the Washington Center. He delivered a talk entitled “Making Transparency Work.”
Policy Brief for Brookings
July 2007
Authors discuss book at Woodrow Wilson Center
May 2007
Fung, Graham, and Weil discussed the central ideas in Full Dislcosure at a book launch/seminar hosted at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C. The session was chaired by Dr. Philippa Strum, Director of the Division of United States Studies of the Wilson Center. Professor Alasdair Roberts of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, provided commentary. Listen here.
Weil discusses Full Disclosure
May 2007
Full Disclosure review
May 2007
Discussion of transparency and Full Disclosure
May 2007
Discussion about transparency and Full Disclosure between Mary Graham and Jeffrey Brown on the PBS show The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. Both audio and video here. For a full-frame version of the video (larger image) go here. (Note that you will need Apple Quicktime to view this version, available here if you don't have it.)
Full Disclosure review
April 2007
Full Disclosure panel discussion
April 2007
A panel discussion with the three Full Disclosure authors was held at the Taubman Center for State and Local Government at Harvard University's Kennedy School.
Boston Globe article
April 2007
Weil and Fung's Op-Ed piece, "Fixing the Misinformation Age," appeared in the Boston Globe. Read it here.
Compliance Week uses Full Disclosure reference
April 2007
Compliance Week, a weekly newsletter on corporate governance, risk and compliance, made an excerpt from Full Disclosure (printed in the March 13 issue of the publication) available to the public on this page.
Online discussion at washingtonpost.com
March 2007
D. Weil appears on Thom Hartman
March 2007
Weil appeared on the nationally syndicated Thom Hartmann show on Air America, discussing the need for greater transparency in government and Full Disclosure. Listen here.