Year: 2020
Type: article
Abstract: This paper presents an analysis of requests for information related to COVID-19 addressed to the Brazilian Federal Government using its the Electronic Citizens Information Service (e-SIC), and their responses, between January and June 2020. It also seeks to better understand Brazilians' use of the Access to Information Law (LAI) and the procedures of federal government agencies in the face of these requests, especially in the context of the 2020 pandemic. The theoretical basis of the study addresses concepts such as transparency, access to information and social control of governmental actions through the concept of regime of information. With both quantitative and qualitative methodological approaches, the latter using a content analysis methodology, the investigation explores two data sources made available by the Office of the Comptroller General of the Union. Survey results provide a general panorama of LAI requests in the first half of 2020 and an analysis of requests related to COVID-19. Among the conclusions, it is noteworthy that the electronic system established to meet the demands of Brazil's Access to Information Law has consolidated itself as a communication channel between citizens and the Government in the context of the pandemic, especially to ask for information about emergency aid. The authors note the great variety and complexity of the Government's digital interaction channels. The survey also demonstrated how the Brazilian federal Government's lack of informational coordination is a problem with concrete implications for sustaining public policies.
Source: Liinc em Revista
Language: Portuguese
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W3120219874