<nettime> Open Data: Empowering the Empowered or Effective Data Use for Everyone

["Michael Gurstein" <gurstein@gmail.com>]

A blogpost on Open Data that may be of interest
  
http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/open-data-empowering-the-empowered-
or-effective-data-use-for-everyone/ 

"Efforts to extend access to "data" will perhaps inevitably create a "data
divide" parallel to the oft-discussed "digital divide" between those who
have access to data which could have significance in their daily lives and
those who don't. Associated with this will, one can assume, be many of the
same background conditions which have been identified as likely reasons for
the digital divide-that is differences in income, education, literacy and so
on.  However, just as with the "digital divide", these divisions don't
simply stop or be resolved with the provision of digital (or data) "access".
What is necessary as well, is that those for whom access is being provided
are in a position to actually make use of the now available access (to the
Internet or to data) in ways that are meaningful and beneficial for them."


And a follow-up 

http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2010/09/09/open-data-2-effective-data-use/

"In the following I will itemize what I think are the various elements that
are required to be in place on the end user side for effective use of open
data to take place.  Some of these are more essential than others but to my
mind some component of each needs to be in place or large numbers of those
who might otherwise make use of Open Data to improve their lives and
particularly the poor and marginalized will be excluded from making
"effective use" of open data."

Mike

Michael Gurstein, Ph.D.
Director: Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and
Training (CCIRDT)
Vancouver, CANADA
http://www.communityinformatics.net

Now blogging at http://gurstein.wordpress.com/




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