tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803417947002730808.post2394798617081622202..comments2023-05-18T10:56:33.126+01:00Comments on Jon Harvey Associates: Transparency: Some hopes and fears, new words and ideasJon Harveyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12792245973965010468noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5803417947002730808.post-12361724758854925922010-11-09T23:00:18.848+00:002010-11-09T23:00:18.848+00:00Great post Jon.
As a progressive thinker and tota...Great post Jon.<br /><br />As a progressive thinker and total advocate of open data I should be enthused by the Government's proposals her but sadly I'm not.<br /><br />The whole 'armchair auditor' issue leaves me cold I have to say. I really think that this will appeal to those few in our society who, for somewhat questionable reasons, enjoy sabre rattling, writing to the local rag, submitting FOI requests and questions to full Council etc. <br /><br />That's all well and good but the vast majority simply don't want to be involved in scrutinising expenditure and rightly expect public sector organisations to have adequate scrutiny and audit arrangements in place. To suggest that publishing data on expenditure will have a significant effect on spend is a total nonsense IMHO.<br /><br />I have, however, seen some interesting developments with open data where it can be taken and used for public good. San Francisco seem to have led the way here ( see http://www.datasf.org/ ) but we're catching up. I do think this is where we need to focus.<br /><br />SO I would conclude by saying transparency for genuine public good is great but as you suggest in your final paragraphs, publishing raw data for the sake of it is not likely to have any positive effect.<br /><br />Just one man's views (and not necessarily those of his employer).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com