Governing With Information Technologies

University Of Illinois At Urbana-Champaign, Urbana IL

Investigators

Abstract

Visions of Digital Government see people easily accessing government information while simultaneously encouraging a more efficient, transparent, and accountable government. The implementation of these visions requires government to carefully consider the design information technologies or" code", i.e., the physical hardware, software and architecture of information technologies. This research seeks to provide an understanding of how choices in code can govern or regulate society. Initially a theoretical framework on how code operates as a regulatory mechanism will be developed. Additionally there will be a comparative analysis of code versus other regulatory mechanisms, such as law and social norms. Finally, there will be an attempt to understand the interrelationships between regulatory mechanisms, such as laws, social norms, and code. The theoretical framework will be informed by a series of historical case studies, allowing a systematic understanding of code. The foremost criterion for the case studies is to consider fundamental societal values that are of concern to society, such as free speech, privacy, and intellectual property rights.