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TRANSITIONS: Though our path remains uncertain, the staff at Sunlight are dedicated to continuing on our mission of making governments and politics more transparent and accountable to the public. This includes our work on open data policies in cities, the 2016 campaign, and the remaining days of the Obama administration and the presidential transition. As Sunlight’s former advisor and current friend Micah Sifry highlighted in Civicist, we’re all still here in DC, hard at work. Thank you for your kind messages, tweets, DMs, calls, and inquiries. We’ll share more as we can.
UPDATES: Many of you are wondering what’s next for Sunlight Labs. Labs Director Kat Duffy explains: “We have a lot of projects to work through, and a short amount of time in which to execute that vision. I will depart Sunlight as Labs Director on Nov. 11, and until that day, I will be working with the incomparable Bill Hunt (as well as some amazing Sunlight Labs staff and alumni) to close down Labs efficiently, responsibly and transparently. Where possible, we will work with our friends and partners to construct viable futures for existing projects. Our primary goal, though, is to ensure that Labs’ products are available to everyone freely and equally in a useful format. If you are interested in adopting a Labs project, or you are currently using one of our projects and need assistance, please contact [email protected]. If you would like to track our process, follow @sunfoundation, @sunlightlabs and #sunlabslove on Twitter for updates.” [READ MORE]
TCAMP? Another common question is about our annual unconference, TransparencyCamp on October 14-15 in Cleveland. Answer, also from Kat: “TCamp is ON. It is SO ON. It is ON-NER than ON. And it’s going to be amazing.” Please #TCamp16 for updates on Twitter, register. and submit a session idea! [READ MORE]
REACTIONS: Sunlight’s news has understandably catalyzed some soul searching in our networks and the communities that care about us and that we care about in turn. Beyond The Atlantic and Nonprofit Quarterly, Adam Schweigert wrote about funding civic infrastructure for INN, the Mediashift Podcast dug in, and Micah wrote a lovely encomium. Please send more. CAMPAIGN 2016
NATIONAL
“Documents obtained by Scientific American through Freedom of Information Act requests now paint a disturbing picture of the tactics that are used to control the science press. For example, the FDA assures the public that it is committed to transparency, but the documents show that, privately, the agency denies many reporters access—including ones from major outlets such as Fox News—and even deceives them with half-truths to handicap them in their pursuit of a story. At the same time, the FDA cultivates a coterie of journalists whom it keeps in line with threats. And the agency has made it a practice to demand total control over whom reporters can and can’t talk to until after the news has broken, deaf to protests by journalistic associations and media ethicists and in violation of its own written policies. By using close-hold embargoes and other methods, the FDA, like other sources of scientific information, are gaining control of journalists who are supposed to keep an eye on those institutions.” [SciAm]
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The Sunlight Foundation is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization that uses the power of the Internet to catalyze greater government openness and transparency, and provides new tools and resources for media and citizens, alike.