Information made accessible for active viewing & retrieval: www, gopher, ftp, telnet...

Sites with possibilities of online feedback from citizens

• Activities/programmes of your own institution (+ contacts)

• Public information (administrative & other, + contacts)

• Government publications (abstracts, full text, online ordering ...)

• State of the environment data

Some Advantages (with regard to printed or broadcasted information):

• Permanent possibility of easy and accurate update

• Little additional costs of electronic publication (once the site is installed)

• Permanently accessible information site (24 h/day)

• Considerable potential for reduction of "paperwork" and oral/written standard requests

• Direct links to other institutions & information can be included (www, gopher)

• Online answer facilities can be installed wherever required (www)

Some Disadvantages/Potential Problem Areas:

• Retrieved information may easily be reproduced (and perhaps changed) without your knowledge.

• Security devices required (due to external access to government computers)

• Restricted audience (cannot yet be accessed by all citizens).

• The citizen has to know/be informed that the site exists

• Personnel and other resources needed to install, develop and update information service.

Government information distributed to subscribers via electronic mailing lists:

Advantages:

• Nearly no additional mailing costs (once the site is installed)

• Immediate transmission

• Mode of operation decided upon by the owner of the subscription list: one-way information, comments & requests accepted, moderated discussion, unmoderated (open) discussion

Disadvantages/Potential Problem Areas:

• Usually active interest (subscription) by the receiver needed (The potential receiver has to be informed on the existence and importance of the list)

• Restricted audience (cannot yet be used to reach all citizens)

Electronic addresses for requests & comments from citizens

• Addresses for general or specific information requests

• Call for comments on administrative or legislative proposals (USA)

Advantages:

• Direct and easy access & feedback of citizens to the gvt

• New instrument of public participation

• Full liberty for the administration of retaining or ignoring comments

• Possibility of electronic filing of all contributions

Disadvantages/Potential Problem Areas:

• Direct and easy access of citizens' and worldwide complaints to the government

• Restricted audience (risk of overestimating comments from a certain part of the population)

Electronic mail for administrative correspondence

Advantages:

• Nearly no additional mailing costs (once email access is installed)

• Immediate transmission

• Easy electronic filing

Disadvantages/Potential Problem Areas:

• Restricted audience (cannot yet be used to reach all citizens)

• No garanteed privacy of communication (unless the message is encrycpted)