Public Conveniences

Public bodies, such as government agencies, are supposed to serve the public. But all too often, it seems, they actively take steps to thwart this intent.

 

I came across two such examples today. First up is the UK’s Environment Agency. Amongst the data it collects on behalf of the British public is flood data. When OnOneMap (a site for prospective housebuyers) made the data accessible via Google Maps, housebuyers were delighted, but the Environment Agency was furious, and demanded that OnOneMap withdraw the facility. Read more here.

 

Next up is the UK’s English Heritage, the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England, and funded by the taxpayer and by visitors to some of its properties. It has a ViewFinder image gallery website, but this actively restricts public engagement rather than make it easy. Dan Lockton, over at fulminate // Architectures of Control has the story. 

 

So at the moment, the score stands at:

Housebuyers (the Public, first team): 0, Environment Agency (Wankers United): 1

Amateur Historians (the Public, second team): 0, English Heritage (Dickheads Town): 1