Saturday, August 31, 2013

EU - Consultation on best ways to open up more public data

From: http://www.investineu.com/content/consultation-best-ways-open-more-public-data-12c3

Consultation on best ways to open up more public data

The Commission is asking for help in drawing up guidance and practical advice for boosting the re-use of weather data, traffic data, publicly funded research data, statistics, digitised books, and other types of public sector information (PSI). 

Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes said: “The open data revolution is all about individuals and entrepreneurs and that includes the giving them a role in policy design.” 

Interested parties can contribute until 22 November 2013, and with their input help ensure effective implementation of the newly revised PSI Directive, which aims to ensure public authorities release more information at little or no cost to users. 

“We were successful in finalising a new directive for public sector information. Now we need to implement it in a way that creates a single market for these data, so that companies can build pan-European apps and other innovations. To get Europe-wide value from this data we need the rules to be applied in a clear, common way,” Kroes said

Background

The results of this consultation will support guidelines to be published in 2014. A recent study shows that economic benefits for the EU from easier availability of PSI could reach 40 billion euros annually. The growth rate of companies having access to free PSI is 15% higher than those who need to pay. 

Opening up public data resources for re-use is one of the key actions of the Digital Agenda for Europe, however uncertainties surrounding compliance with the licensing and charging provisions have discouraged innovation and commercial deployment of PSI in many parts of the Union.

30 August 2013

Open data & storytelling - 4 presentations from the Nordic Statistical Meeting 2013


Open Data - Experiences from a National statistical office's point of view
Heli Mikkelä
Statistics Finland

Statistical storytelling and quality in the age of open data
Maija Metsä-Pauri and Kirsti Ahlqvist
Statistics Finland

Åpne data – en ny åpning for statistikkbyråene
Jan Bruusgaard
Statistisk sentralbyrå

API:er ett nytt sätt att tillhandahålla öppna data, nyttan för oss och våra användare
Åsa Olsson
Statistiska centralbyrån

Sunday, August 4, 2013

CIO - Big data may build better profile of Australians

From: http://www.cio.com.au/article/522550/big_data_may_build_better_profile_australians_statistician_/

Information could be used in future censuses, says Jonathan Palmer

Hamish Barwick (CIO)
01 August, 2013



Location information from mobile phones could lead to more dynamic pictures of population counts according to an Australian statistician.

Speaking at a Teradata summit in Sydney, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) deputy Australian statistician, Jonathan Palmer, told delegates that this may enhance census information in the future.

Friday, August 2, 2013

itnews - ABS prepares big data transformation

From: http://www.itnews.com.au/News/352003,abs-prepares-big-data-transformation.aspx

By Paris Cowan on Aug 2, 2013 7:10 AM (15 hours ago)


The Australian Bureau of Statistics has begun an IT transformation aimed at tackling an incoming "big data tsunami" which the agency's COO is hoping will include more personal data from citizens.

The ABS' technology infrastructure transformation will be the biggest undertaken at the department and will include serious work on renewing metadata systems and processes.