Although extensive official secrecy was empowering when governments had more information than non-governmental actors, it now often amplifies intelligence shortfalls and prevents governments from partnering with and fully engaging non-state actors in open knowledge networks. In a networked information environment, we can learn more by developing close and cooperative links with the thousands of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operating throughout Africa, for example, than by relying on a small number of political and intelligence officers reporting from African capitals.

[ Reading this article, I couldn't help being reminded of Snow Crash, in which the US governement is pretty much completely marginalized and exists with a culture of extreme secrecy and strict monitoring, but accomplishes nothing. Meanwhile, the CIC hackers are essentially just guys who are good at getting and finding information, and they hold a fairly decent bit of power for precisely that reason.

Anyway, there's something to be said for what they're proposing, though I haven't really got the initiative to fully reason out the implications. -k]

The Perils of Secrecy in an Information Age