Open Data Event Spotlights Social Impact and Integration Challenges
The Center for Data Innovation and the Sunlight Foundation recently hosted an event, 'The Social Impact of Open Data', exploring the potential of open data and its effective use. Speakers, including Federal Trade Commissioner Maureen Ohlhausen, discussed various aspects of open data, from integration challenges to communication strategies and benefits in sectors like education and development.
Bryan Rayburn from Symcat shared insights on integrating data from multiple sources, highlighting the challenges in turning this data into actionable insights. Emily Shaw from the Sunlight Foundation urged agencies to communicate about open data in five key ways to ensure its accessibility and impact.
Ohlhausen outlined the FTC's tripartite approach to open data, focusing on a realistic attitude toward data analysis, mitigating privacy risks, and promoting a culture of big data and open data in government. Sandra Moscoso, listed as Deputy Program Manager for ICAO, discussed local Washington, D.C. efforts and a data-driven education reform in Moldova as examples of successful open data use. Moscoso from the World Bank emphasized the social benefits of open data in education and development sectors.
The event underscored the potential of open data to drive social security, with speakers emphasizing the need for coordination and communication to yield more insights. The FTC's approach and the Sunlight Foundation's communication strategies were highlighted as key steps in unlocking open data's full potential.
