I found the official data statement that the White House has a movement of
making open and machine-readable information the new default for government information.
Along with that they put out various memos, policies, etc. In particular, one, M-13-13
Open Data Policy-Managing Information as an Asset
was very interesting. It can be seen here
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Reference-Shelf/Data.shtml
look in the "Open Data Policy" box, or directly here
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/omb/memoranda/2013/m-13-13.pdf
In case the govt shuts down more, I also saved a copy.
This memo and attachment has what I think is a good definition of open data, and an outline of how to orient agencies toward producing open data. That is, steps in doing this.
1. Collect or create information in a way that supports downstream information processing and dissemination activities
2. Build information systems to suppor·t interoper·ability and information accessibility
3. Strengthen data management and release practices
4. Strengthen measures to ensure that privacy and confidentiality are fully protected and that data are properly secured
5. Incorporate new interoperability and openness requirements into core agency processes
I like this memo and attachment because it's easy to read. I don't need to know jargon, background, detailed knowledge of data, etc.
It links to many other sites, for example this one
http://project-open-data.github.io/
My question is, do other governments have policies like this?
Australia Joins the Open Government Partnership
22 May 2013
Author:
John Sheridan - AGCTO & PC
Category:
AGCTO
Gov 2.0
Tags:
AGCTO
Data
Data.gov.au
Gov2au
Government 2.0 Taskforce
35
Vote up!
Today the Australian Government Attorney General and Special Minister of State, the Hon Mark Dreyfus QC, has announced that Australia is joining the Open Government Partnership. This historic announcement brings Australia into a consortia of over 60 countries that are committed to:
"more transparent, effective and accountable governments -- with institutions that empower citizens and are responsive to their aspirations" – OGP About Page.
Australia is well positioned to join the Open Government Partnership and this announcement builds on the earlier work of the Australian Government’s response to the Gov 2.0 Taskforce. The Department of Finance and Deregulation reported on the progress of Gov 2.0 in Australia last July.
The key Australian Government 2.0 activities to date include:
the Declaration of Open Government by the Australian Government in July 2010;
providing leadership, guidance and support to enable public servants to engage online;
establishing data.gov.au as the Australian Government’s central public dataset repository;
establishing awards to encourage and recognise excellence in Government 2.0;
establishing the Creative Commons BY licence as the default licence for public Australian Government information; and
providing guidance and support to make public sector information accessible and reusable.
By joining the Open Government Partnership, Australia is committing to:
The Open Government Partnership Declaration - a statement of commitment to improving access to information about government activities, improving civic participation, high standards of professional integrity in the public service, and increasing access to new technologies for openness and accountability. Read the entire declaration for more details.
Develop an OGP Action Plan which outlines a vision for open government in Australia, the open government efforts to date and the roadmap for open government looking ahead, including some of the challenges and opportunities facing us in this space. The Action Plan must take into account the OGP Independent Reporting Mechanism which objectively measures success in this space. This Action Plan will be created in a transparent and open way by a cross agency working group that reports publicly on a regular basis. We intend to engage civil society, NGOs and industry strongly in the process.
Practical examples of what this Action Plan might entail includes looking at open data, parliamentary transparency, online engagement, policy co-production, public reporting on government activities, and public service professionalism.
OGP Action Plans are expected to cover a two-year period, with governments reporting on progress on an annual basis. We look forward to working collaboratively across agencies, governments, industry and the broader community to get the most beneficial and effective possible open government action plan for Australia.
The Minister's media release is available here.
Chile is part of the Open Government Partnership. Since the "Transparency Law", it is now much more easy to have access to public data, for research (non-commercial) purposes. For some datasets you need to submit a written request, others have a direct link.
Bulgaria is a part of the open data movement and has published a number of datasets on its open data portal over the past year. You can find a brief description of the policy and the process in this article: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283548664_Open_Data_Policy_and_Implementation_in_Bulgaria .
Conference Paper Open Data: Policy and Implementation in Bulgaria
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