Young, A. (2021). Open Government. In: Harris, P., Bitonti, A., Fleisher, C.S., Skorkjær Binderkrantz, A. (eds) The Palgrave Encyclopedia of Interest Groups, Lobbying and Public Affairs . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-13895-0_94-1

Open government refers to a variety of policies and practices that aim to increase government effectiveness and legitimacy through transparency, participation, and collaboration. The precise definition of “open government” has been the subject of debate, evidenced by the preponderance of descriptions from various scholars, institutions, governments, and others (Longo, Rogawski, & Young, 2013). The term previously referred primarily to issues of transparency, freedom of information, and using “sunlight” (i.e., external scrutiny from watchdogs, the media, and the general public) to bring greater accountability to government actions and stamp out corruption. The term evolved to encompass a variety of actions that aim to support “more effective institutions and more robust democracy” (Noveck, 2011).