Online technology has vastly increased citizens' access to public records such as political campaign contributions and real estate transactions. But that explosion of information availability also sparks privacy concerns and may dampen some people's willingness to engage in public activities, according to recent research.

Six researchers, including two from the University of Washington, co-authored the paper "Attitudes Toward Online Availability of U.S. Public Records." It was presented at the Proceedings of the 12th Annual International Digital Government Research Conference in College Park, Md. An expanded version of the article will appear in a forthcoming issue of Information Polity.

The UW authors are Batya Friedman, professor in the UW Information School; and James Fogarty, associate professor of computer science and engineering. Lead author is Sean Munson of the University of Michigan, who has since joined the UW's Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering.

"In American society we have a strong commitment to transparency in public records, but we also have a commitment to privacy in our voting at the polls," said Friedman. "Putting campaign contribution information online with greater accessibility upsets the previously established balance between those two competing goals within U.S. democracy."

Excerpted from the article by Peter Kelley of Univeristy of Washington News and Information.
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