The traditional right-to-know laws that pertain to government information … need to be rewritten. In many states, the public-record laws and open-meeting laws were conceived when the photocopier and audiotape were the most-advanced forms of information technology. These laws need to be brought into the present and made to anticipate the future so that public access to government and candidate information can be improved. Even if the public does not avail itself of this information, it is absolutely necessary for the effective functioning of the emerging media.
Predictor: Snider, James
Prediction, in context:The 1995 book “The Information Revolution,” edited by Donald Altschiller, carries a reprint of the 1994, The Futurist article “Democracy On-line” by James H. Snider. Snider speculates on the electronic town meeting, a possibility in the near future. He writes:”The traditional right-to-know laws that pertain to government information also need to be rewritten. In many states, the public-record laws and open-meeting laws were conceived when the photocopier and audiotape were the most-advanced forms of information technology. These laws need to be brought into the present and made to anticipate the future so that public access to government and candidate information can be improved. Even if the public does not avail itself of this information, it is absolutely necessary for the effective functioning of the emerging media.”
Date of prediction: January 1, 1994
Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information
Subtopic: General
Name of publication: The Information Revolution (book)
Title, headline, chapter name: Democracy On-line
Quote Type: Direct quote
Page number or URL of document at time of study:
Page 192
This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Guarino, Jennifer Anne