Internet & trust in government

The emerging role of the Internet as a part of everyday life has profoundly affected the way the average citizen interacts with and perceives the role of government. More information about governmental activity is available to ordinary citizens than ever before. Conversely, more information about the lives of citizens also may be available to government agencies. The UW Graduate School of Public Affairs (GSPA) will hold a public forum on Technotrust: How the Internet Shapes Citizen Perception of Government Information, to discuss these timely and important issues. The forum, which is free and open to the public will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19 in 309 Parrington.

Panelists include Bruce McConnell, alumnus of GSPA and Chief of Information Policy in the Office of Information and Regulatory affairs at the federal Office of Management and Budget; Francis Dummer Fisher, senior research fellow at the Lyndon B. Johnson, School of Public Affairs, an attorney and former administrator at the Agency for International Development and Housing and Urban Development; Tina Podlodowski, chair of the Seattle City Council Health and Technology committee and former executive at Microsoft; Andrew Gordon, professor at the Graduate School of Public Affairs.

This forum is part of the Trust in Government project at GSPA that focuses on the growing public attitude of cynicism and widespread distrust for government in the United States. For more information about GSPA or the Technotrust panel contact Communications Director Kristina Wilfore at 616-1651. ¶