Who will watch the watchmen?
by Beatrice Karol Burks
26/06/09
Aside from the corruption, greed and stupidity, the expenses scandal exposed one overriding issue: that government is tragically backwards in its approach to information sharing. And for all the calls for openness and transparency ringing out across the benches, there is distinct air of futility about this ‘revolution’.
The media excitement surrounding promises of openness is not matched by public enthusiasm, and it’s easy to see why. While we were merrily uploading our personal details, thoughts and opinions, and evidence of drunken escapades and lost weekends onto blogs and social networking sites, government was redacting, filing and desperately trying to deny the violent and honest exposure that the internet demands.
The move towards open government is not borne of a dream or ideal but of the inescapable fact that we live in the communication age. No amount of spin will make it appear that MPs are pursuing the transparency agenda out of anything more than necessity.
When Government’s strongest argument for ID cards is that you shouldn’t worry unless you’ve something to hide, it makes plans to ban the photographing of police look deeply suspicious. As the tragic death of Ian Tomlinson showed, there is a need for checks and balances; the ability to photograph and monitor police and government should be celebrated ... we assume they’ve got nothing to hide.
Rather than making such a fuss about openness, government must simply get on with it, learn to live with it and embrace groups like FIT Watch to help them make society fairer and more just. Honesty is not an option; it is an inevitable part of modern life. You can try to avoid it, but chances are someone will be watching and no doubt they’ll be recording too.
We are one nation under CCTV, but we also have the tools and technology to be our own surveillance force. There is no space for a 'noble lie' here; today's answer to Plato’s question is quite simple: we will. And we’ll record them and distribute this for all to see.