[Air-L] FW: Blogpost: Open Data: Empowering the Empowered or Effective Data Use for Everyone?

[Michael Gurstein]

This may be of interest in the context of the discussion on e-Gov/Gov. 2.0
etc. It has been quite widely tweeted/blogged over the last couple of days.

Mike


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.

http://gurstein.wordpress.com/2010/09/02/open-data-empowering-the-empowered-
or-effective-data-use-for-everyone/

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

Cape Town, SA (in conjunction with Izandla Zethu SA) 
http://www.izandlazethu.co.za/

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