OpenDataPolicy
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Data.gov redesign preview modernizes public data delivery
While we know the government's spying on our personal data, what's it doing with all of the public info it gathers? President Obama's answer to that question was creating Data.gov, a portal that publishes, among other things, public school funding amounts. Four years on, though, and the site looks and navigates like a product of its time. The modern redesign that launched today as a preview is part of this May's Open Data Executive Order that hopes to graft non-proprietary and machine-readable data formats "into the Federal Government's DNA." The homepage combines published research from a range of headings -- education, energy, finance, global development, health, research and safety -- and the tweets of public servants about said data, into one river of news. It's cool to see the government taking charge and making all this easier to access, but we're wondering how much it'll cost us next April.
President Obama issues executive order to make government data open and machine readable
Remember Data.gov? The President does, and he has issued an executive order that should give the information portal a shot in the arm. Starting this week, new and modernized Government information systems should use open and machine readable formats by default, adhering to the guidelines of a new Open Data Policy. The policy requires agencies to use open, machine readable formats that are non-proprietary, publicly available and unrestricted, and aims to put useful data in the hands of US companies while increasing privacy and security. According to the White House blog, this means new data will be served in CSV, XML, JSON and other machine readable formats, and will even be accessible via API in some situations. The White House hopes the new policy will help foster innovation. "There are private companies using open data to fight credit card fraud; consumers using open data to save on their energy bills; families leveraging open data to compare health care options; and a host of new apps and tools in areas ranging from public safety, to financial planning, to education, and more," the blog explains. "We are very excited about the path ahead and can't wait to see what new ideas and yet to be imagined innovations can be unlocked by increased access to open data." Head past the break to read the executive order for yourself, and check out the source PDF for a peek at the new Open Data Policy.
