Open Government Meeting

December 9th, 2007

Carl Malamud & Tim O’Reilly hosted an open government meeting in Sebastopol CA which was very productive. Principals of Open Government Data were established and strategies for pushing openness in the current government data environment where shared. Metavid Wiki was presented in the short demos section of the meeting.
From the announcement:

This weekend, 30 open government advocates gathered to develop a set of principles of open government data. The meeting, held in Sebastopol, California, 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.

Entry Filed under: mediaWiki, opengovdata, philosophy, politics