Opening up government data for big data analysis and public benefit

Keiran Hardy; Alana Maurushat

doi:10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.003

Opening up government data for big data analysis and public benefit

Keiran Hardy, Alana Maurushat

Western Sydney University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

96 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Governments around the world are posting many thousands of their datasets on online portals. A major purpose of releasing this data is to drive innovation through Big Data analysis, as well as to promote government transparency and accountability. This article considers the benefits and risks of releasing government data as open data, and identifies the challenges the Australian government faces in releasing its data into the public domain. The Australian government has ambitious aims to release greater amounts of its data to the public. However, it is likely this task will prove difficult due to uncertainties surrounding the reliability of de-identification and the requirements of privacy law, as well as a public service culture which is yet to fully embrace the open data movement.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	30-37
Number of pages	8
Journal	Computer Law and Security Review
Volume	33
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.003
Publication status	Published - 1 Feb 2017

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 Keiran Hardy, Alana Maurushat

Keywords

big data
freedom of information
government information
linked data
privacy, right of

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.003

Cite this

@article{82acf864f2394b4fad85a57ffda59650,

title = "Opening up government data for big data analysis and public benefit",

abstract = "Governments around the world are posting many thousands of their datasets on online portals. A major purpose of releasing this data is to drive innovation through Big Data analysis, as well as to promote government transparency and accountability. This article considers the benefits and risks of releasing government data as open data, and identifies the challenges the Australian government faces in releasing its data into the public domain. The Australian government has ambitious aims to release greater amounts of its data to the public. However, it is likely this task will prove difficult due to uncertainties surrounding the reliability of de-identification and the requirements of privacy law, as well as a public service culture which is yet to fully embrace the open data movement.",

keywords = "big data, freedom of information, government information, linked data, privacy, right of",

author = "Keiran Hardy and Alana Maurushat",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Keiran Hardy, Alana Maurushat",

year = "2017",

month = feb,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.003",

language = "English",

volume = "33",

pages = "30--37",

journal = "Computer Law and Security Review",

issn = "2212-473X",

publisher = "Elsevier Advanced Technology",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Opening up government data for big data analysis and public benefit

AU - Hardy, Keiran

AU - Maurushat, Alana

PY - 2017/2/1

Y1 - 2017/2/1

N2 - Governments around the world are posting many thousands of their datasets on online portals. A major purpose of releasing this data is to drive innovation through Big Data analysis, as well as to promote government transparency and accountability. This article considers the benefits and risks of releasing government data as open data, and identifies the challenges the Australian government faces in releasing its data into the public domain. The Australian government has ambitious aims to release greater amounts of its data to the public. However, it is likely this task will prove difficult due to uncertainties surrounding the reliability of de-identification and the requirements of privacy law, as well as a public service culture which is yet to fully embrace the open data movement.

AB - Governments around the world are posting many thousands of their datasets on online portals. A major purpose of releasing this data is to drive innovation through Big Data analysis, as well as to promote government transparency and accountability. This article considers the benefits and risks of releasing government data as open data, and identifies the challenges the Australian government faces in releasing its data into the public domain. The Australian government has ambitious aims to release greater amounts of its data to the public. However, it is likely this task will prove difficult due to uncertainties surrounding the reliability of de-identification and the requirements of privacy law, as well as a public service culture which is yet to fully embrace the open data movement.

KW - big data

KW - freedom of information

KW - government information

KW - linked data

KW - privacy, right of

UR - http://hdl.handle.net/1959.7/uws:48352

U2 - 10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.003

DO - 10.1016/j.clsr.2016.11.003

M3 - Article

SN - 2212-473X

VL - 33

SP - 30

EP - 37

JO - Computer Law and Security Review

JF - Computer Law and Security Review

IS - 1

ER -

Opening up government data for big data analysis and public benefit

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this