[open-development] Blog post: Some of my thoughts following OKCon in Geneva

[Bill Anderson]

Duncan, I hope this stimulates wide debate in the open data movement.

You are not alone in making the points that you do.

Here's Jay Naidoo at the Making All Voices Count event in Johannesburg two weeks ago:

"No country in the world is run by Facebook or Twitter. Don't fool yourself that social media is going to create the revolution of social values that we need. It's actually going down to the people and explaining to them what their rights are, equipping them with the right tools and making sure they fight their own battles." http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-10-11-mind-the-gap-using-technology-for-a-better-life/#.UmeFo_msiM4

Here's Ben Leo from the Centre for Global Development commenting on US aid transparency:

"Herein lies the problem with the USG's aid transparency efforts. It more often resembles a document and data dumping ground instead of a user-friendly interface for government officials, media and interested citizens in developing countries..."   http://international.cgdev.org/blog/it%E2%80%99s-high-time-usaid-join-user-defined-information-age?&co=f000000009816s-1158206718<http://international.cgdev.org/blog/it%E2%80%99s-high-time-usaid-join-user-defined-information-age?&co=f000000009816s-1158206718>

Very little data makes sense on its own. It needs joining up with other data to be contextualised. It needs curation, analysis and interpretation to turn it into meaningful, usable, accessible information. And after all this it becomes a useful component (not the driver) of socio-economic change.

Open Data is important, but so is joined-up data, interoperable data standards, access to information and a host of other priorities.
Open Data is important, but an app plotting potholes is just an app plotting potholes.
Open Data is important, but we shouldn't let our enthusiasm turn to tunnel-vision or arrogance.
This is where the current danger lies...

Best,
Bill Anderson
Data Standards Advisor @ Development Initiatives
IATI Technical Lead

From: open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org [mailto:open-development-bounces at lists.okfn.org] On Behalf Of Duncan Edwards
Sent: 23 October 2013 07:54
To: open-development at lists.okfn.org
Subject: [open-development] Blog post: Some of my thoughts following OKCon in Geneva

Hello everyone,

I thought you may be interested in a blog post I posted to the OKFN blog which captures some of my thoughts on what was talked about at some of the Open Development sessions at OKCon in Geneva back a few(ish) weeks ago.

"The revolution will NOT be in Open Data"
http://blog.okfn.org/2013/10/21/the-revolution-will-not-be-in-open-data/

Interested to hear people's thoughts on this.

Best wishes,
Duncan
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