6 Moving from Open Data to Our Data

 

This chapter covers

  • Moving from data as a closed monopoly controlled by companies to an open ecosystem controlled by individuals
  • The laws in place and legislation in process to govern and enable active control and management of data by groups and individuals
  • New organizations to manage Open Data/Our Data, including data pools, data commons, and data exchanges
  • The creation of data intermediaries as an interface for individuals to manage Our Data

This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife. Well, how did I get here?1 

—David Byrne

We have been discussing several historical and current contextual elements that surround data, including legal and psychological issues, corporate misuse, and ill-defined ownership. At this point in the book, you may despair at the scale of the problem, but hang in there. Change is coming, and sooner than you might think. This chapter may bring some hope.

6.1 Data from many sources drives value

6.2 Data and analytics at dinner parties

6.3 Data can be used as a weapon

6.4 The horse is out of the barn, let’s go riding . . .

6.5 New and modern approaches to data

6.5.1 Open Data defined

6.5.2 Open Data’s beginnings

6.5.3 Open Data today

6.5.4 Governmental Open Data policies

6.5.5 Open Data: US federal and state governments

6.6 Data exchanges

6.6.1 Types of data exchanges

6.7 Data intermediaries, data pools, and data unions

6.8 Data commons

6.9 Final thoughts

Summary