Liberating data for public value: The case of Data.gov

Public agencies around the globe are liberating their data. Drawing on a case of Data.gov, we outline the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for the liberation of public data. Data.gov is an online portal that provides open access to datasets generated by US public agencies and countries around the world in a machine-readable format. By discussing the challenges and opportunities faced by Data.gov, we provide several lessons that can inform research and practice. We suggest that providing access to open data in itself does not spur innovation. Specifically, we claim that public agencies need to spend resources to improve the capacities of their organizations to move toward ‘open data by default’; develop capacities of community to use data to solve problems; and think critically about the unintended consequences of providing access to public data. We also suggest that public agencies need better metrics to evaluate the success of open-data efforts in achieving its goals.