What is open government data?

Open government data is about getting access to information held by government bodies formats that anyone can use for any purpose. To qualify as “open”, it must be possible for the data to come in formats which allows it to be freely copied, shared, combined with other material, or republished as part of websites which allow users to explore, analyze, visually represent, or comment on the material, as well as transform it into other formats.

Examples of the datasets held by governments which can, potentially, be opened up range from national statistics to budgetary information, from parliamentary records to data about the locations of schools, hospitals, crimes, or post boxes.

The open government data movement is calling for the proactive dimension of the right of access to information to be extended to raw data and entire databases.

To know more about this movement and its relation with the right of access to information read the Beyond Access Report.