Access to Information and Targeted Transparency Policies

This paper contributes to the debate around why and how access to information can be used to prevent and control corruption. Access to information can not only bring corruption cases to light, it can also be a fundamental tool for its prevention and control, given that it encourages the creation of channels of participation and helps to identify vulnerabilities in both the public and the private sectors that might become windows of opportunity for corrupt practices. The paper`s conceptual framework explains how initiatives aimed at promoting access to information that are based on the concept of targeted transparency enable greater accountability in key areas of public management, by taking into consideration the effectiveness and quality of access to information channels or mechanisms, as well as the capacities and interests of the users to gain access to and use this information.