this is what transparency looks like in Germany it’s part of an investigation
Germany it’s part of an investigation
Germany it’s part of an investigation into the folksmen scandal we wanted to
into the folksmen scandal we wanted to
into the folksmen scandal we wanted to know what the government did to regulate
know what the government did to regulate
know what the government did to regulate diesel emissions in 2012 and so we asked
diesel emissions in 2012 and so we asked
diesel emissions in 2012 and so we asked a ministry for economics and energy and
a ministry for economics and energy and
a ministry for economics and energy and what we got back is among other things
what we got back is among other things
what we got back is among other things this observe that the administration
this observe that the administration
this observe that the administration appears to have digitally blacked out a
appears to have digitally blacked out a
appears to have digitally blacked out a scanned page printed it out scan it
scanned page printed it out scan it
scanned page printed it out scan it again before they were sure they could
again before they were sure they could
again before they were sure they could release it to us I find it pretty absurd
release it to us I find it pretty absurd
release it to us I find it pretty absurd that information the government collects
that information the government collects
that information the government collects on behalf of the citizens is not
on behalf of the citizens is not
on behalf of the citizens is not available to the citizens in fact I
available to the citizens in fact I
available to the citizens in fact I can’t really think of a good reason why
can’t really think of a good reason why
can’t really think of a good reason why all these documents shouldn’t be made
all these documents shouldn’t be made
all these documents shouldn’t be made publicly available so that anyone can
publicly available so that anyone can
publicly available so that anyone can access the information they need many
access the information they need many
access the information they need many countries nowadays have these freedom of
countries nowadays have these freedom of
countries nowadays have these freedom of information laws by which citizens
information laws by which citizens
information laws by which citizens journalists and companies can request
journalists and companies can request
journalists and companies can request information from the government so say
information from the government so say
information from the government so say you want to know what angular map could
you want to know what angular map could
you want to know what angular map could received as gifts from foreign officials
received as gifts from foreign officials
received as gifts from foreign officials last year well you can send a request to
last year well you can send a request to
last year well you can send a request to the government and if the government has
the government and if the government has
the government and if the government has it information you have a right to know
it information you have a right to know
it information you have a right to know it given that doing so doesn’t violate
it given that doing so doesn’t violate
it given that doing so doesn’t violate other laws such as the right to privacy
other laws such as the right to privacy
other laws such as the right to privacy or copyright one could describe this as
or copyright one could describe this as
or copyright one could describe this as the poll model of information disclosure
the poll model of information disclosure
the poll model of information disclosure that is you want to know something you
that is you want to know something you
that is you want to know something you request it and maybe you’ll get it but
request it and maybe you’ll get it but
request it and maybe you’ll get it but why not go one step further why not have
why not go one step further why not have
why not go one step further why not have a push model of information disclosure
a push model of information disclosure
a push model of information disclosure why not open up data by default rather
why not open up data by default rather
why not open up data by default rather than by request the government has so
than by request the government has so
than by request the government has so many awesome data sets and thinking of
many awesome data sets and thinking of
many awesome data sets and thinking of environmental data data on pollution the
environmental data data on pollution the
environmental data data on pollution the weather or transport data data on
weather or transport data data on
weather or transport data data on traffic accidents subway time schedules
traffic accidents subway time schedules
traffic accidents subway time schedules or just whatever patents were registered
or just whatever patents were registered
or just whatever patents were registered last year all this information is not
last year all this information is not
last year all this information is not just interesting but in
just interesting but in
just interesting but in relevant and useful for everybody making
relevant and useful for everybody making
relevant and useful for everybody making these data sets publicly available is
these data sets publicly available is
these data sets publicly available is essential idea behind open data data is
essential idea behind open data data is
essential idea behind open data data is open when it is free for anyone anywhere
open when it is free for anyone anywhere
open when it is free for anyone anywhere to use for any purpose again given the
to use for any purpose again given the
to use for any purpose again given the right kinds of legal restrictions such
right kinds of legal restrictions such
right kinds of legal restrictions such as privacy for governments this
as privacy for governments this
as privacy for governments this translates into data is online and
translates into data is online and
translates into data is online and published under an open license now this
published under an open license now this
published under an open license now this vision may sound very very fanciful to
vision may sound very very fanciful to
vision may sound very very fanciful to you but we’ve actually made some great
you but we’ve actually made some great
you but we’ve actually made some great progress in the last couple of years
progress in the last couple of years
progress in the last couple of years seventeen nations have signed the open
seventeen nations have signed the open
seventeen nations have signed the open data charter which commits them to
data charter which commits them to
data charter which commits them to releasing comprehensive timely and
releasing comprehensive timely and
releasing comprehensive timely and accurate data sure that’s by far not all
accurate data sure that’s by far not all
accurate data sure that’s by far not all but we’re getting there there’s a lot of
but we’re getting there there’s a lot of
but we’re getting there there’s a lot of green on this map for openness but as
green on this map for openness but as
green on this map for openness but as more and more data gets added to portals
more and more data gets added to portals
more and more data gets added to portals around the world there’s one thing one
around the world there’s one thing one
around the world there’s one thing one little thing that is so often overlooked
little thing that is so often overlooked
little thing that is so often overlooked in this process access to data alone is
in this process access to data alone is
in this process access to data alone is not enough we need to make the data
not enough we need to make the data
not enough we need to make the data accessible we need to turn data into
accessible we need to turn data into
accessible we need to turn data into knowledge we need to make a cake from
knowledge we need to make a cake from
knowledge we need to make a cake from the raw ingredients so to say well what
the raw ingredients so to say well what
the raw ingredients so to say well what do I mean by that accessibility is very
do I mean by that accessibility is very
do I mean by that accessibility is very different from access data is accessible
different from access data is accessible
different from access data is accessible when it is understandable when it is
when it is understandable when it is
when it is understandable when it is meaningful and useful when it can be
meaningful and useful when it can be
meaningful and useful when it can be used to empower people and affect change
used to empower people and affect change
used to empower people and affect change in this world
to understand the difference let’s apply
to understand the difference let’s apply a concept from political theory here in
a concept from political theory here in
a concept from political theory here in a capitalist society I am free to buy a
a capitalist society I am free to buy a
a capitalist society I am free to buy a car in fact I am free to buy a Porsche
car in fact I am free to buy a Porsche
car in fact I am free to buy a Porsche that is nobody’s prohibiting me from
that is nobody’s prohibiting me from
that is nobody’s prohibiting me from buying a Porsche but of course I am also
buying a Porsche but of course I am also
buying a Porsche but of course I am also not free to buy a Porsche I have to have
not free to buy a Porsche I have to have
not free to buy a Porsche I have to have the ability in this case the money to do
the ability in this case the money to do
the ability in this case the money to do so
so
so you have to distinguish between the
you have to distinguish between the
you have to distinguish between the right to do something and the ability to
right to do something and the ability to
right to do something and the ability to do something and so here’s what I think
do something and so here’s what I think
do something and so here’s what I think it means for openness open data
it means for openness open data
it means for openness open data describes a state where government data
describes a state where government data
describes a state where government data is published online under an open
is published online under an open
is published online under an open license this is what activists have been
license this is what activists have been
license this is what activists have been focused on for a long time now
focused on for a long time now
focused on for a long time now accessibility on the other hand means
accessibility on the other hand means
accessibility on the other hand means that people in fact access make use of
that people in fact access make use of
that people in fact access make use of the data that is published already now
the data that is published already now
the data that is published already now we have a wealth of information
we have a wealth of information
we have a wealth of information available to us but it is an entirely
available to us but it is an entirely
available to us but it is an entirely different question to ask how many
different question to ask how many
different question to ask how many people have actually gained access to it
people have actually gained access to it
people have actually gained access to it I don’t know who here has actually been
I don’t know who here has actually been
I don’t know who here has actually been to the open data portal of Germany Gulf
to the open data portal of Germany Gulf
to the open data portal of Germany Gulf data de but yes there is one and people
data de but yes there is one and people
data de but yes there is one and people don’t go there because they don’t know
don’t go there because they don’t know
don’t go there because they don’t know what to do with it
freedom for the sake of freedom makes
freedom for the sake of freedom makes very little sense to me because surely
very little sense to me because surely
very little sense to me because surely the reason I want to be free to buy a
the reason I want to be free to buy a
the reason I want to be free to buy a Porsche is to buy a Porsche having the
Porsche is to buy a Porsche having the
Porsche is to buy a Porsche having the right to do so won’t help me here and
right to do so won’t help me here and
right to do so won’t help me here and similarly for openness accessibility
similarly for openness accessibility
similarly for openness accessibility alone is not enough unless I know what
alone is not enough unless I know what
alone is not enough unless I know what to do with it
to do with it
to do with it we demand open data so that we can make
we demand open data so that we can make
we demand open data so that we can make use of it it has to inform us it has to
use of it it has to inform us it has to
use of it it has to inform us it has to enable us to make better decisions
so I propose the following opening up
so I propose the following opening up data is the bare minimum of what
data is the bare minimum of what
data is the bare minimum of what governments should do the real work has
governments should do the real work has
governments should do the real work has to go into providing accessibility and
to go into providing accessibility and
to go into providing accessibility and now to the 1 million dollar question how
now to the 1 million dollar question how
now to the 1 million dollar question how do you close this gap between access and
do you close this gap between access and
do you close this gap between access and accessibility well first and foremost
accessibility well first and foremost
accessibility well first and foremost the government has to remove barriers to
the government has to remove barriers to
the government has to remove barriers to the information they provide be a
the information they provide be a
the information they provide be a technical legal or administrative life
technical legal or administrative life
technical legal or administrative life is too short to be scraping PDFs all day
is too short to be scraping PDFs all day
is too short to be scraping PDFs all day we need to have machine readable data
we need to have machine readable data
we need to have machine readable data and also nobody should have to submit
and also nobody should have to submit
and also nobody should have to submit personal information just to submit a
personal information just to submit a
personal information just to submit a Freedom of Information request the
Freedom of Information request the
Freedom of Information request the government doesn’t have to have my name
government doesn’t have to have my name
government doesn’t have to have my name on file just because I wanted to know
on file just because I wanted to know
on file just because I wanted to know what happened during the folks buying
what happened during the folks buying
what happened during the folks buying scandal but more than that we need
scandal but more than that we need
scandal but more than that we need better interfaces to search and retrieve
better interfaces to search and retrieve
better interfaces to search and retrieve information provided by the government
information provided by the government
information provided by the government interfaces that are designed for a
interfaces that are designed for a
interfaces that are designed for a diverse society with diverse needs
diverse society with diverse needs
diverse society with diverse needs what we need is human centered design
what we need is human centered design
what we need is human centered design and what we don’t need is bureaucracy
and what we don’t need is bureaucracy
and what we don’t need is bureaucracy jargon or broken links but I think the
jargon or broken links but I think the
jargon or broken links but I think the onus also isn’t just on the government
onus also isn’t just on the government
onus also isn’t just on the government it is also our duty as technologists to
it is also our duty as technologists to
it is also our duty as technologists to raise awareness of open data to promote
raise awareness of open data to promote
raise awareness of open data to promote data literacy to build capacity for the
data literacy to build capacity for the
data literacy to build capacity for the effective use of data we need projects
effective use of data we need projects
effective use of data we need projects that explain the data and demonstrate
that explain the data and demonstrate
that explain the data and demonstrate their value projects like this
their value projects like this
their value projects like this visualization of ancillary revenue in
visualization of ancillary revenue in
visualization of ancillary revenue in the German parliament where you can
the German parliament where you can
the German parliament where you can compare the additional income of German
compare the additional income of German
compare the additional income of German politicians super-quick to code and yet
politicians super-quick to code and yet
politicians super-quick to code and yet very important to have or this beautiful
very important to have or this beautiful
very important to have or this beautiful presentation of traffic data
presentation of traffic data
presentation of traffic data commissioned by the city of Washington
commissioned by the city of Washington
commissioned by the city of Washington you can see analyses for congestion
you can see analyses for congestion
you can see analyses for congestion commuting bus reliability all on an
commuting bus reliability all on an
commuting bus reliability all on an interface that really invites you to
interface that really invites you to
interface that really invites you to explore the data and think about the
explore the data and think about the
explore the data and think about the city’s infrastructure
city’s infrastructure
city’s infrastructure these are fairly complex datasets but
these are fairly complex datasets but
these are fairly complex datasets but the visualization really lowers the
the visualization really lowers the
the visualization really lowers the threshold for citizens to engage with
threshold for citizens to engage with
threshold for citizens to engage with the city and sometimes you need whole
the city and sometimes you need whole
the city and sometimes you need whole global investigative teams to dive into
global investigative teams to dive into
global investigative teams to dive into the data and to for example unveil
the data and to for example unveil
the data and to for example unveil corruption as was the case with the
corruption as was the case with the
corruption as was the case with the Panama papers we need data journalists
Panama papers we need data journalists
Panama papers we need data journalists who tell the stories behind the data
who tell the stories behind the data
who tell the stories behind the data designers that convey the meaning of
designers that convey the meaning of
designers that convey the meaning of facts and figures and whole communities
facts and figures and whole communities
facts and figures and whole communities of hackers and makers who build tools
of hackers and makers who build tools
of hackers and makers who build tools and resources to empower people as a
and resources to empower people as a
and resources to empower people as a society we need to see the value in
society we need to see the value in
society we need to see the value in publishing
publishing
publishing analyzing and interpreting data and we
analyzing and interpreting data and we
analyzing and interpreting data and we need to do more of that in the open and
need to do more of that in the open and
need to do more of that in the open and for the benefit of all yes access to
for the benefit of all yes access to
for the benefit of all yes access to data is very important for transparency
data is very important for transparency
data is very important for transparency for accountability but let’s not forget
for accountability but let’s not forget
for accountability but let’s not forget that access alone does very little we
that access alone does very little we
that access alone does very little we need accessibility we need open
need accessibility we need open
need accessibility we need open knowledge thank you
knowledge thank you
knowledge thank you [Applause]
”
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