I spent this weekend in Sebastopol, where I took part in the gathering of 30 open government advocates to develop a set of principles of open government data. The meeting was designed to develop a more robust understanding of why open government data is essential to democracy.
The Internet is the public space of the modern world, and through it governments now have the opportunity to better understand the needs of their citizens and citizens may participate more fully in their government. Information becomes more valuable as it is shared, less valuable as it is hoarded. Open data promotes increased civil discourse, improved public welfare, and a more efficient use of public resources.
The group is offering a set of fundamental principles for open government data. By embracing the eight principles, governments of the world can become more effective, transparent, and relevant to our lives.
There are also some videos that I shot, photos
Your comments are welcome here, or on the discussion group we created!