When are "open" data open?

Dear Sir,

Creating semantic interoperability represent huge possibilities for
cost-redcution, improving quality and enabling new kinds of previously
unseen solutions.

However, when studying the available work on linked data, 2 vital aspects
not incorporated jumps to my mind - one about innovation or continous
change and one about Empowerment or the assurances that control rests with
the entity at risk and defining the demand (mostly the citizen)

a) The approach assume standardisation around a single univeral definition
b) The approach fail to separate between data that are safe to share and
data that represent a risk to someone.

Ad a) Making strucgtures arund a single univesal standard would make
everything stalemate by legacy.
We need structures that are much more resilient to continous change in many
directions. And yes this means that we must accept that we cannot FORCE the
world into a standard bucket unless such as bucket is able to crasp the
world reality.

I sugest a nested approach without any assumptions on outcome. We applied
such an approach in the EU HYDRA project which is partly implemented
http://sourceforge.net/projects/linksmart/


Ad b) Even more important is the need to respect fundamental rights and
society needs.

Buracurats and cynical corporate interests wants to ecxhange data ABOUT
someone as that increase their power and ability to profit. However such a
structure represent a failure by design. EVEN if "anonymised" or
"pseudonymised" such an approach represent a certain failure as it drives
linkage in sources without security.

I kindly refer you to this presentation that are in essence stating the key
elements.
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/sites/digital-agenda/files/Stephan.pdf

As can be seen the definition of what can constitute "open" data and how
data must be incapsulated to maintain or eliminate linkage to context is
not a simple question.

We should be extremely carefull NOT to see this from a system-centric or
bureaucrat perspective for WHATEVER excuse, e.g. assuming researchers or
even security administrators CAN access and link data on individuals for
research perspectives.


I kindly suggest to you that failure to incorporate the two above issues
represents a failure to the economy not smaller than that of former Eastern
European Communism as it leads to legacy-based ineffectiveness and massive
centraslisation of power and control at the expense of citizens and
society.


Sincerely,

Stephan Engberg
Priway - Security in Context

 ..  because the alternative is not an option

=======================================================
Stephan Engberg | Stephan.Engberg@priway.com
Priway - VAT/SE DK  25 77 53 76
Stengaards Alle 33D - 2800 Kgs. Lyngby - Denmark
Tel.: (+45) 2834 0404  - Internet: www.priway.com

Received on Monday, 25 March 2013 16:59:19 UTC