Open data: Empowering the empowered or effective data use for everyone?

Authors

  • Michael B. Gurstein Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v16i2.3316

Keywords:

Open data, open access, e-government

Abstract

This paper takes a supportive but critical look at “open data” from the perspective of its possible impact on the poor and marginalized and concludes that there may be cause for concern in the absence of specific measures being taken to ensure that there are supports for ensuring a wide basis of opportunity for “effective data use”. The paper concludes by providing a seven element model for how effective data use can be achieved.

Author Biography

Michael B. Gurstein, Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training

Dr. Michael Gurstein is currently Executive Director of the Centre for Community Informatics Research, Development and Training (CCIRDT) in Vancouver, Canada. He is the Editor in Chief of the Journal of Community Informatics (http://ci-journal.net) and Foundation Chair of the Community Informatics Research Network. He has Research Professorships at universities in Canada and the U.S. and is an Adjunct Professor at the Information School at the University of Toronto. He has consulted to the governments of Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, South Africa, Nepal and Jordan; to the Ford Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the U.N. Development Program, and the European Union; and to Nortel, Mitel, Bell Canada, and Intel among others. He has been on the Board of the Global Telecentre Alliance, Telecommunities Canada, the Pacific Community Networking Association and the Vancouver Community Net and is a member of the High Level Panel of Advisors of the (U.N.) Global Alliance for ICT for Development. His most recent book is What is community informatics (and why does it matter)?, published by Politechnica in Milan.

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Published

2011-01-23

How to Cite

Gurstein, M. B. (2011). Open data: Empowering the empowered or effective data use for everyone?. First Monday, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v16i2.3316