The Impact of Information Technology on Politics

Informed Decision Making
Public Policy Formulation and Implementation in Public Organizations:
Historically, there has been a longstanding tension between those who advocate for minimal government intervention to rectify social problems and those who advocate a more interventionist approach and greater government expenditures to rectify injustices. These philosophies, and the ability to achieve them is often viewed as rooted in politics rather than practicality, given that these approaches have often changed radically from administration to administration. But Milakovich & Gordon (2013) state that “good government is good politics” (p.392). In other words, for good policy to be enacted, government must be healthy and functional, ideally with members of the opposition engaging in healthy compromises to achieve better results.
The standard policy-making process includes defining the problem, establishing criteria to resolve it, proposing alternatives, collecting data, analyzing consequences, evaluating trade-offs, and then selecting an alternative strategy (Milakovich & Gordon, 2013). One seismic change, however, in facilitating this process that has arisen in recent years has been the use of information technology to guide the policy-making process. For example, using online search engines can offer comprehensive sources of access to so-called big data to inform policy, and also to evaluate outcomes. Big data refers to the comprehensive use of all available information pertaining to a decision, versus simply using a representative sample. “By shifting towards big data in policy making, a government can make quick decisions without compromising the quality of those decisions” (Williams, 2019, par. 10). The speed of big data can also speed the time used to construct policies, and in theory this will allow government approaches to scientifically determine and target the population who needs help urgently.
The availability of online technology also permits policy makers to solicit and receive data from affected persons. One concern, however, is that some of this data is involuntarily solicited. For example, online “activities include using the internet, social media, credit cards and others. All these activities provide opportunities for the government to gather valuable information and use them to the advantage of the public” (Williams, 2019, par. 4). This does raise issues of confidentiality and consent regarding the public allowing such data to be collected. Policy makers must answer the question: “What is the right trade-off between privacy, property rights and security and allowing society to benefit from data-driven innovations and better ways of living?” (“Big Data Governance,” 2019, par.2).
Yet one surprising aspect of the higher quality and comprehensiveness of data, regardless of ethics of its collection, is that policy continues to grow more polarized and politicized in a negative effect, rather than informed by fact and evidence. According to the Pew Research Center in 2014, the American public has never been more polarized than it is today. Republicans and Democrats are more divided than they have been than in the past. Despite the fact that there is more information in circulation, there is also more polarized information for the public to consume, and ideological media like Fox and MSNBC has taken the place of single, ostensibly objective sources of information. This polarization has had an effect upon politics, government, and political life, given that politicians sent to Washington or placed in policy-making roles often attain power based upon assuming extreme ideological position.
Politics and government are in a state a paradox. Quality of information, thanks to the ability to assimilate big data, has improved. But the ability to evaluate that quality is increasingly influenced by ideology. Of course, there has always been tension and rage regarding the appropriate role of government, but the same technology that can be used to collect information can also be used to inflame public opinion.
References
Big data governance and public policy. (2020). RAND. Retrieved from: https://www.rand.org/randeurope/research/science-technology-innovation/big-data-and-public-policy.html
Milakovich, M. E., & Gordon, G. J. (2013). Public administration in America (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing.
Political polarization in the American public. (2014). Pew. Retrieved from: https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2014/06/12/political-polarization-in-the-american-public/
Williams, J. (2019). How government policy making will be impacted by big data? PromptCloud. Retrieved from: https://www.promptcloud.com/blog/big-data-influence-on-government-policy-making/