While posts to the FCC blog’s “Feedback” section provides evidence that many of its users “just don’t get it,” the FCC has made great strides toward making its information and resources accessible to the public at large. As described by Steven VanRoekel, the Commission’s Managing Director here, the objective is to build a Web presence that is an amalgam of APIs.

As a long-time telecommunications researcher who used data that carriers had historically provided to commission, the site is much more conducive to locating information through keyword search or by clicking on tabs and links. As a person who used to have to find relevant rulemaking citations among dozens of three-ring-binders of aggregated proceedings from “Pike & Fisher,” openness is unprecedented.

But where it really sets itself apart is with the “Take Action” bar, which provides quick links to parts of the site that enable concerned citizens to “Comment,” “Complain,” “Discuss,” or simply get “Help” from the right resources within the Commission. I find the blog-like nature of the site to be very engaging. The content seems fresh, dynamic and topical. The call-to-action is pervasive. It will be interesting to see whether the general public takes advantage of these improvements and takes a more active in regulatory processes.

Categories: Articles

Tags: Web 2.0, FCC, APIs, Regulation