Open data and public information are key for accessing and improving services in a city, smart or otherwise. Deliberate institutional measures are often required to ensure the maintenance and publication of accurate, usable public information. Yet such measures are often not put in place with any systematic intention—resulting all too often in tragedies of the commons. In this panel, we’ll consider the prospects for collective action around the provision of open data and public information. We’ll also discuss efforts to use ICT to improve public services and make government perform better.