THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release December 17, 1999 MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES SUBJECT: Use of Information Technology to Improve Our Society The Internet and other information and communications technologies are changing the way we work, learn, communicate with each other, and do business. These technologies are shaping our economy and our society in the same way that the steam engine and electricity defined the Industrial Age. In recent years, information technology has driven the U.S. economy.

The White House today released two memoranda to federal agencies designed to strengthen public access to federal government information and services. Largely unnoticed, the two memoranda direct agencies to put more information online and contain 16 directives for improving public access to government information and numerous strategies for improving electronic services.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, a private-sector nonprofit constituting one of the major international Internet technical standards organizations, recently adopted a set of measures that increasingly prevents more public accountability to and participation from the Internet community -- including individuals and nonprofit organizations. It also issued its decision regarding nonprofit Internet domain space.

Special NPTalk commentary on the launch of FirstGov Online Government and FirstGov: The Foundation Online government! Oh my! What's happening to the Internet?!? Well, considering the amount of federal government dollars and research which helped to create the Internet and many of the tools necessary to take advantage of the opportunities it offers, government has a legitimate interest, and obligation, to make more of itself available online. The notion of government information access and unimagined service delivery makes one realize just how far we have come in under a decade.