Transparency

What information should be visible to the people affected by a decision?

Transparency is useful when it helps people understand and scrutinise power. It leaves room for people to keep parts of their lives private. Privacy, confidentiality and legitimate safety concerns matter too. We can ask what information is necessary, who needs it and whether withholding it protects people or shields decisions from accountability. Large amounts of unusable data do not necessarily provide meaningful openness.

A question to sit with (optional): What would someone need to know to question this decision fairly?