Definition of Open Government
The Huffington Post has published a thought-provoking article about open innovation in government. Formerly in charge of implementing the Obama Administration’s Open Government Initiative, Beth Noveck has posted a commentary about the two major opinions on what Open Government actually means.
Information Access
Watchdog organizations in the U.S., such as Project on Government Oversight (POGO), tend to view open government as having access to “accountability data,” such as information about government spending and the salaries, travel and meeting schedules of political officials. POGO Executive Director describes this mission as “fighting excessive secrecy and promoting proactive disclosure.” In response to such organizations, the White House recently launched the Good Government site, which serves as a portal to information such as the daily public schedule of the President and Vice President, lists of White House visitors and law and health related public records.
Data Innovation
Noveck argues that a more valuable form of Open Government is that which not only makes those datasets available but then invites the public to transform that data into tools to solve problems more collaboratively. Rather than simply accepting a solution that government comes up with, this kind of co-creation makes government institutions more innovative and also creates jobs and economic growth. She looks at examples as that of the CDC which has created a challenge (with a monetary reward for the winner) to use government datasets to create flu-prevention applications.
Noveck seems to be debating an issue which may not need debate. Both of these forms of Open Government are in use by the government, where they are providing information to individuals and organizations, either as resources in and of themselves or as a way to feel engaged in problem solving. Participation in a government-sponsored challenge is not the only way that the available information can be used. Some might even argue that it is even more useful, not less, when individuals, not the government, decide what problems should be solved by using the available data.
What do you think, which of these definitions of Open Government is correct? Are they both?
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