Digital Open Data Governance: Enhancing E-Government Accountability and Transparency

Open data governance has emerged as a paradigm to enhance government transparency and accountability in the digital age. This literature review examines research on open data policies, management processes and oversight mechanisms advancing ethical aims through internet-based technologies. A systematic search yielded 26 studies analyzing open data’s effects on accountability and transparency in the context of digital governance. Findings reveal potential exposure of corruption through online platforms, improved civic awareness via digital tools, and increased scrutiny of administrative decisions enabled by internet-accessible data. However, evidence gaps persist regarding aggregate accountability improvements attributable to open data technologies. Moreover, appropriate digital indicators and pathways linking online data disclosure to ethical governance require elucidation, spanning technological, institutional and political dimensions. In essence, purposeful digital governance, capable usage of online tools, and contextual insight into internet-based solutions, not merely data access, critically determine transparency and accountability gains in the era of e-government.