Access Quote by Ryan Shapiro
“Democracy cannot meaningfully function without an informed citizenry, and such a citizenry is impossible without broad public access to information about the operations of government.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Open Government Forum, Ryan Shapiro, 2021
Effective democracy requires an informed public, which depends on transparent access to government information.
In simple terms: Democracy needs informed citizens, which need open government data.
Key Takeaway
Promote transparency and public access to information.
Themes
democracy
information access
citizen participation
Mood
urgent
optimistic
Type
activist
inspirational
When to use this quote
- journalism
- civic education
- policy advocacy
- technology platforms
Key Concepts
open data
government accountability
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we improve public data literacy?
- What mechanisms ensure data remains accessible?
A Different Perspective
Even with data, citizens may lack the skills to interpret it.
