Fauxpen data, open data and bridging the data divide

My Ignite talk from the Strata Conference in NYC is online.

Comments welcome, as ever.

Update: In the context of fauxpen data, beware “openwashing:” Simply opening up data is not a replacement for a Constitution that enforces a rule of law, free and fair elections, an effective judiciary, decent schools, basic regulatory bodies or civil society — particularly if the data does not relate to meaningful aspects of society. Adopting open data and digital government reforms is not quite the same thing as good government, although they certainly can be and are related, in some cases.

If a country launches an open data platform but deprecates freedom of the press or assembly, questions freedom of information laws or restricts the ability of government scientists to speak to the public, is it adopting “open government” — or doing something else?

This is the ambiguity of open government and open data that Harlan Yu and David Robinson wrote about in 2012. Expect it to be the subject of more “takedowns” in the 2013.

3 thoughts on “Fauxpen data, open data and bridging the data divide

  1. Pingback: Beware openwashing. Question secrecy. Acknowledge ideology. | Gov 2.0: The Power of Platforms

  2. Pingback: Government transparency and conflicts with public trust and privacy: Recent research ideas Journalist's Resource: Research for Reporting, from Harvard Shorenstein Center

  3. Pingback: Open government advocates: terms and conditions mean DC open data is fauxpen data | E Pluribus Unum

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