The number of Guardian newspaper readers (29,000) who took up the challenge to “Investigate your MP’s expenses.” They culled through 700,000 government expense documents, such as credit card receipts and hotel bills. The citizen-journalists uncovered so much fraud that it resulted in 26 “servants of the people” resignations. In fact, six officials were sent to prison.
So what?
Information transparency is often not enough; it may need to be coupled with a challenge initiated by a credible source, such as a newspaper.