US calls for 'YouTube' of government data

US calls for 'YouTube' of government data

news.bbc.co.uk

Data.gov is part of President Barack Obama's larger push to make the US government more open and transparent.

For example, it has just launched Opinion Space - a website where people around the globe can submit their thoughts on US foreign policy.

Data.gov was launched in May 2009 by Mr Kundra in an effort to "unlock" the vast databases of information held by the US government.

It holds information on everything from agriculture and education to budgets and crime statistics.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This, in theory, is good. Right?

It currently has 1,276 sets which have been downloaded 25,618 times in the last week. The number of apps using the data is also increasing.

However, my problem with this is that there is no way the government will disclose controversial information.

I suspect that they are using to tell the American people that "this is all the information that we have" when in reality it is all the information that is already available.

news.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

And now comes the Ministry of "mis" Information. In theory yes this is good, however in practice this will become a propaganda tool used by which ever administration is in office. When one sect of the gov't beast leaves the Capitol the other will come in and post bad info about the last admin while posting thier version of reality while in office. And millions will believe thier tripe. Although on the brightside, it WILL give ATS alot of entertaining stuff to rifle through and tear-apart....so hell why not. You convinced me S&F

reply to post by die_another_day


Regardless, it's worth a shot. Let's just see what will happen next, this project might be quite useful sometime in the future.

So i take it that the line was drawn to not include free energy, ufo disclosure etc etc?
But this really does go to show you what their real opinion of us really is?

Originally posted by die_another_day
I suspect that they are using to tell the American people that "this is all the information that we have" when in reality it is all the information that is already available.

Why do people like you expect that when a government takes action to provide this information that it is never presented in a format that is good enough.

Consider this from a programmer and computer specialist viewpoint that has to implement such ideas. What you expect is every move made with leap and bounds in implementation, and the software industry just doesn't work that way. It would be insane if it did.

With all the automation to get the information on the web, this is huge potential to help account for the information that is there. Don't knock it. If there is something 'missing' then with the information there it can be pointed out specifically.

I've only heard that they continue to make progress to automate and get more information in the open. There has been no indication of "that's it".

Let's them continue to take steps... those that do the job to make it available aren't being treated fairly when the hear the people complain about what everybody wants when they do it.