5,628 votes
Open Government Data (APIs, XML, RSS)
We can unleash a wave of civic innovation if we open up government data to programmers. The government has a treasure trove of information: legislation, budgets, voter files, campaign finance data, census data, etc. Let's STANDARDIZE, STRUCTURE, and OPEN up this data.
vontrapp
As for privacy, simply don't make available sensitive information. Open, here, does not mean "make everything available." It means those things you do make available, and those things that _should_ be available, make them available in a open (available, parse able, free of charge) _format_. The access to the data should, of course, be free as well.
8 days ago
vontrapp
Calle, that's the whole point. It matters little what the actual "standard" is or even that it's "standard" between government entities. If we simply have OPEN specs then any programmer can simply and easily transform it into ANY other OPEN standard. Again, open means exactly what you described it should mean.
8 days ago
robwells57
Totally agree with the comment about The Sunlight Foundation http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/ and here's an interesting podcast with them over at IT Conversations http://itc.conversationsnetwork.org/shows/detail3841.html
14 days ago
CalleSantiago
I support this only if the formats and languages used are *truly open* -- that is, their specifications can be easily obtained without having to pay anyone else or even having to ask for anyone else's permission. Just like the English language.
19 days ago
CalleSantiago
I support this only if the formats and languages used are *truly open* -- that is, their specifications can be easily obtained without having to pay anyone else or even having to ask for anyone else's permission. Just like the English language.
19 days ago
3rdtechie
If we're going to talk about Openness and standardization, then we should also talk about ODF. Open Document Format is an OSI standardized document that many governments are adopting to archive their records. More at http://www.odfalliance.org/. If you're worried about MS Office compatibility, Sun has a plugin http://www.sun.com/software/star/odf_plugin/
20 days ago
fearb4dustin
For far too long, the government has used the media as a tool to control large groups of people by creating political propaganda. The American people could use such data to their advantage such as finding the truth and bringing it to the American people through forms of blogging and journalism. The government will feel a new obligation to be truthful.
20 days ago
fearb4dustin
For far too long, the government has used the media as a tool to control large groups of people by creating political propaganda. The American people could use such data to their advantage such as finding the truth and bringing it to the American people through forms of blogging and journalism. The government will feel a new obligation to be truthful.
20 days ago
nmh
This seems to follow the same general trend as other suggestsions:
-open access research
-100% free sw
-open standard/device/os
-open election code
Maybe they could all be counted as a single "open gov't policy" suggestion.
22 days ago
morren
As a publisher who makes a lot of use of government data from FOIA requests (http://www.pegasusnews.com/politics/), I know the biggest issue is getting standardization between jurisdictions. This proposal would reduce the load of FOIA requests on govt offices, enable more investigative journalism and transparency. Top priority.
25 days ago
jlindsey
While I think this sounds like a good thing to do, I do not feel this is important enough to be a top priority item. I'm sure there are more important issues that should be addressed first.
26 days ago
sstroup
For an example of how powerful open data and statistics can be there's a wonderful talk on TED from 2006 (there's another talk the following year if you're interested too):
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/hans_rosling_shows_the_best_stats_you_ve_ever_seen.html
Hans Rosling presents the dynamic use of statistics and open data buried in UN databases and makes it free. It's a great video.
26 days ago
wware
I hope "structure this data" means adding machine-readable markup, and keeping docs at sensible stable locations, so people can easily write programs to search them, annotate them (not on the originals), etc. Transparency good, machine-readable transparency better.
26 days ago
jps
DCdawg: so you are saying that executive agencies used the money that Congress already spent on this to pay for contractor "money pits" who "couldn't do the job." I assume that those contractors were held to task by their contracts, or is it the case that the administration was too incompetent to even draft a contract to insure performance?
26 days ago
DCdawg
This is a very common complaint. But when it comes time to do it, the agencies never get enough money to rework existing programs to be able to work with open standards. Contractors who claim they can help are money pits who hire unqualified people who cannot do the work.
If you want open government, write your member of congress and tell them to fund it. Without funding, nothing gets done!
26 days ago
Sll
Personally I'm in favor of Atom instead of RSS, but overall I agree with this suggestion.
sll
27 days ago
johntron
Wow, this would be perfect for a project I'm working on -- a site that focuses on economic indicators. Do it! :)
27 days ago
jps
Also, case law should be available free on the web; even State case law.
27 days ago
vicnick
Most organizations (specially govt) have little or no clue about API's, but there are online services like Feedity - http://feedity.com - which can be used to build RSS feeds for govt website (or any webpage for that matter) and deliver updates to the public.
27 days ago
thereofone
If this is the only thing that happens I would be content. I wish I could've put all 10 here.
27 days ago
FreedomSpeaks
I completely support improved transparency in our federal government. I am pushing this agenda through a non-partisan political community I founded - http://www.freedomspeaks.com. I would like to see transparency carried through to all levels of government - federal, state and local. I am also creating a non-profit org to establish standards how government information is both saved and exchanged.
27 days ago
citizenkahn
I agree, following the path started by Sunlight and change-congress.org sounds like a great idea. The people need to know how their government is operating if they are to support it and it is our greatest weapon against the power of money.
27 days ago
superdataguy
This is a great idea. The great government cloud. www.strikeIron.com has created APIs for a lot of this data, including census, tax rates, financial data, etc... There's a long way to go but they are off to a good start.
27 days ago
chensamurai
If the information presented on public government sites are organised and easily accessible through updated standards, it would be much easier for us to search for data such as legal information.
However, privacy information about individuals should also be secured and not open.
27 days ago
William McGeveran
Protecting individual data privacy while pursuing this project will be extremely complicated. It should focus on areas with negligible amounts of private data.
27 days ago
RichardBronosky
If this is of interest to you, also please consider http://obamacto.uservoice.com/pages/general/suggestions/69637
27 days ago
RichardBronosky
It is important to note that defacto standards like those created then repetitively and intentionally encumbered by MSFT are not Open Standards.
27 days ago
alice.casey
Check out what Show us a Better Way is up to on opening gvt data in the UK http://www.showusabetterway.co.uk/call/data.html
27 days ago
mycatfreckle
The same innovation needs to be applied to healthcare.
27 days ago
davidbangs
Thanks for putting up the site! Congrats that you have the imagination and ability to act so quickly.
I worry that Open Government Data would open up opportunities for fraud and privacy violation.
I notice that many ideas are getting added to this list. Those who voted when there were only a few ideas might want to come back and consider spreading out their votes.
27 days ago
Mike Mathieu
The Sunlight Foundation is doing good work here, but they have to put in extra effort because the systems aren't designed to work together. They're essentially a charity-funded group making up for a lack of externally-facing data infrastructure. Transparency and more civic engagement would be big wins with an open system.
28 days ago