Through the looking glass: illusions of transparency and the cult of information

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to argue that transparency is a two‐sided concept associated with openness and surveillance. Design/methodology/approach A position is asserted arguing the need to examine the fact that both transparency and surveillance are management tools in an information society. It is argued that from transparency, to translucence to opacity there are degrees of openness with technical and policy filters imposed intentionally and unintentionally in between those who observe and those who are observed. The illusion of transparency is considered along with the notion that gatekeeping or filtering is associated with making relevant information available. Findings Transparency and filtering the flow of information are considered as essential to the governance of organizations' rooted social contract theory. Practical implications Transparency and limits on transparency should be proactively addressed in organizational structure and policy and must be communicated effectively for both pragmatic and symbolic purposes. This further suggests the need for media literacy training within organizations. Originality/value The authors conclude that the perceived right of access cannot be underestimated as a fundamental management tool. This paper proposes the publication of an organizational “Bill of Rights” to demonstrate a commitment to transparency.