Inadequate government publications

Official information at the national level includes propaganda, statistics and reports. Information in the sense of reports and statistics may be very turgid reading and very lukewarm in expressing opinions. Government reports may also be isolated by national delimitation or sectoral coverage, so that the information cannot be analysed in its full context without extensive research. Terminology may be difficult for non-specialists to understand. Such information induces public apathy, ignorance and alienation and, where it only gives facts which are favourable to the government or its prestige, it may serve to mask injustices, exploitation, inequalities, and corruption.