Regarding "Open Data is not a panacea"

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Regarding the posting by Cathy O'Neil on "Open Data is not a panacea":http://mathbabe.org/2012/12/29/open-data-is-not-a-panacea/#comment-15181


Open Data Ethics
Open data professionals are currently debating the ethics of exposing data sets to the public. The main issues are privacy of the individual and the usability of the data. The transformation of data into information and the ethical exposure of "anonymized" data sets are what we are after.

I work at the municipal level as a city open data program manager. In my role my task is to deliver a framework of collaboration between our city government and the citizens. The city wants collaboration and input on ideas related to social issues, economic development issues as well as exposing performance indicators on department spending and performance.

Data like any asset within government is part of infrastructure. Data alone does not equal transparency. Certainly machine readable data sets are available for anyone to use and analyze. The transformation from data to information to democratize city information is absolutely necessary.


Open Data Issues
One very sticky issue is that open data principles for the most part are based on European privacy laws. The Open Knowledge Foundation's "Open Data Handbook" articulates what is fit for open data and what is not. This flies in the face of Freedom of Information Act requests which can identify individuals. A second sticky issue is the use of public data to expose individuals by the media. Recently a gun ownership map that was released showed an individual's name and address along with identifying them as a gun owner. This is not about gun ownership but about exposing public data and individual identity. That map was released by a newspaper and not a public sector agency. I question the ethics of releasing any individual's name or any linked data sets that can be cross referenced to identify an individual.

I am glad writers like yourself are discussing open data.

My views are my own but are reflected in the policies I am proposing to my municipality.

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