[open-government] Economic benefits of open data

Mon Nov 15 16:58:32 UTC 2010

I agree that this argument has advocacy potential, hence my 'admission'
that I use it myself.

I am becoming concerned, however, that it will create a backlash in due
course. Already in Canada I would say one tends to get little mileage out
of such arguments.

So I would like to see two things:

1) Solid economic arguments based on evidence (I know about the UCL
Constitution Unit's work but I don't think it amounts to this). This could
either be generic studies about the value of proactive disclosure or more
focused studies on the economic benefits of open data. It would be great
if Tim's proposed session for London could go ahead.
2) More rights based arguments that do not depend on cost (sort of along
the lines of your second para. below). I think there are interesting
opportunities here (eg along the lines of proactive disclosure delivering
the right to information more effectively, as some posts to this list have
argued, and also deliver it in a more egalitarian way).

Best, Toby

> I can only speak for the UK. There is a study by the University College
> London's Constitution Unit, that tracks FOIA request types, quantity and
> cost and has been doing this from 2006.
> http://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/research/foi/publications.htm
> There is a real concern by people who deal with FOIA requests that by
> making things open will bring on an onslaught of requests but so far from
> what I hear, this hasn't manifested itself as of yet. There are web based
> request sites that make the process of request easier whether this is
> having an effect I don't know.
>
> The law gives certain rights to information and compliance has cost. It is
> whether you have the information wrenched from you which costs or that you
> have a mechanism so people can 'self-serve' which also costs but probably
> less.
>
> I suppose in the current climate we are getting more traction from public
> bodies by giving them a cost saving argument rather than an innovation
> one.
>
> Julian
>
> On 15 Nov 2010, at 15:34, toby at law-democracy.org wrote:
>
>>
>> Right to information activists, including myself, routinely make the
>> argument that proactive disclosure will reduce the burden of processing
>> requests for information, and in some countries (eg India), this is even
>> built into the law. However, I do not know of any proper study on this
>> relationship. Intuitively, outside of the routine release of very basic
>> information, I believe it is equally likely that more proactive
>> disclosure
>> may actually stimulate more requests for information (through whetting
>> peoples' appetites for information).
>>
>> It may