Citizens see transparency as control and punishment, not just info—trust may not increase.

What is it about?

This study explores how everyday citizens understand the idea of government transparency. While experts often say that transparency is about building trust—by giving people access to information about how institutions work—this research shows that many citizens see it differently. Using focus groups and surveys, the study finds that people who already distrust political institutions tend to view transparency not as a way to build trust, but as a tool to keep an eye on those in power. For them, transparency is more about control and accountability than about trust. This challenges the common belief that transparency policies are mainly designed to increase public confidence in government. Instead, the findings suggest that people’s existing distrust may shape how they interpret transparency in the first place. In short, if citizens see transparency as a way to punish or control politicians rather than to build trust, then the real impact of transparency policies might be quite different from what policymakers expect. This opens the door to new, more critical ways of thinking about why transparency matters—and what it actually does in practice.

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Why is it important?

This research is important because it challenges a widely held assumption: that transparency automatically builds trust in government. By showing that many citizens—especially those who already distrust institutions—see transparency as a way to control or punish politicians, it reveals a deeper, more complex relationship between transparency and trust. Understanding this helps policymakers design better transparency initiatives. If people expect transparency to lead to accountability rather than trust, then simply providing information may not be enough. Governments may need to pair transparency with real consequences for wrongdoing to meet public expectations. In short, this research helps bridge the gap between what transparency is supposed to do and what people actually want it to do.