Transparency means nothing without justice (Cory Doctorow - Guardian UK)

Transparency means nothing without justice

The footage of police action at last summer's Climate Camp – and the lack of response since – demonstrates the limits of a cyber-liberty dream

Cory Doctorow
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 29 April 2009 12.57 BST
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An activist is arrested as others participate in a march towards Kingsnorth power station from the Camp For Climate Action 2008. Photograph: Daniel Berehulak/Getty

We cyber-liberties types are very big on government transparency – on the right to carry our cameras into every altercation with authority and to put it all online. We make the problems visible, hoping that this will solve them. Little brother watches back!

Transparency is indeed a virtue in government. Knowing what MPs and cops and regulators are up to is a vital precursor to doing something about it. That's why people in authority naturally shy away from transparency.

That's the reason for Gordon Brown's proposal to make MPs' expense accounts into a state secret, immune from Freedom of Informationrequests, and the frankly insane new law that makes it illegal to photograph a copper, a soldier, or many public buildings if these photos could be used "in preparation of an act of terror".

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