Transparency Lite at Launch of Data.gov

Last week, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President, announced the launch of a new initiative to open government, WhiteHouse.gov/Open [video on Administration's Open Government Blog]. With the announcement comes the long anticipated Data.gov website. "The purpose of Data.gov is to increase public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government." See Personal Democracy Forum's coverage, White House Opens Doors on Major Open Government Initiative.

Data.gov includes a searchable data catalog that includes access to data in two ways: through the "raw" data catalog and using tools provided by the site. Note well, you have to agree to the site's Data Policy. See also the site's tutorial.

According to ReadWriteWeb’s Marshall Kirkpatrick, "the initial offering is a bit of a let down." Wired's Alexis Madrigal concurs, "Data.gov launched ... with 47 datasets from across the government. ... That’s a tiny fraction of the Feds’ gargantuan information stores, and the site is clearly in beta, but open-government advocates see the new site as a sign of good things to come for government transparency." [JH]