It’s the people’s data presentation april 2015
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The document proposes an initiative called "It's The People's Data" where the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) chapters would become hubs for community training on data harvesting, analysis, and storytelling using open government data. The goal is to shift the focus from Freedom of Information to Freedom of Data by making taxpayer-funded data more accessible to the public. SPJ chapters would promote workshops to teach broad interest groups how to retrieve, clean, analyze and use local data to enhance civic participation, economic development, and reduce the costs of responding to records requests. While challenging, the initiative could boost democratic engagement and the profile of SPJ while developing new skills for the digital age.
![It’s The People’s Data
Digital Age flips FOIA
• Admirable history[1]
of SPJ v. “Closed”
gov’t
4/18/2015 6
[1]
Swedish Freedom of Information Act of 1766.
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1973849/Freedom-of-the-Press-Act-of-1766 Also: [U.S.]History of
FOIA.” Electronic Frontier Foundation. https://www.eff.org/issues/transparency/history-of-foia](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/itsthepeoplesdatapresentation-april2015-150409160314-conversion-gate01/85/It-s-the-people-s-data-presentation-april-2015-6-320.jpg)
![It’s The People’s Data
Digital Age flips FOIA
• Admirable history of SPJ v. “Closed”
gov’t
• FOIA action is too often reactive
• In Digital Age, citizens accustomed to
“instant delivery,” yet slow-down in
gov’t responses.[1]
4/18/2015 8
[1]
TED BRIDIS, Mar. 18, 2015 2:43 PM EDT AP. “Administration sets record for withholding government files”](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/itsthepeoplesdatapresentation-april2015-150409160314-conversion-gate01/85/It-s-the-people-s-data-presentation-april-2015-8-320.jpg)
![It’s The People’s Data
Digital Age flips FOIA
• In Digital Age, citizens accustomed to
“instant delivery”
• Gov’t agencies complain about being
overwhelmed with FOIA requests[1]
• Majority of FOIA requests not from
journalists[2] [3]
• Can we take SPJ, et al. FOIA activities to
a local – and broader – audience?
4/18/2015 9
[1]
Department of Homeland Security in 2012 and Catherine Andrews. “Why You Need Improved Operational Intelligence for Big Data”
March 9, 2015
[2]
KEVIN JOHNSON and KEVIN G. HALL. “New players replacing newspapers in seeking government info” USA Today 03/14/2015;
2014 Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer Report to the Attorney General of the United States and FOIA Lawsuits
[3]
Jeffrey A. Roberts. “State budget includes new AG’s office lawyer to handle growing number of records requests.”Colorado Freedom of
Information Coalition. 2 April 2015.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/itsthepeoplesdatapresentation-april2015-150409160314-conversion-gate01/85/It-s-the-people-s-data-presentation-april-2015-9-320.jpg)
![It’s The People’s Data
SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s
Data
• SPJ chapters and affiliates become the hub
of community training, data harvesting,
analysis
– Local journalism institutions promote and
coordinate broad spectrum of interest
groups/people[1]
4/18/2015 12
[1]
Jeffrey A. Roberts. “State budget includes new AG’s office lawyer to handle growing number of records
requests.” Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. 2 April 2015.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/itsthepeoplesdatapresentation-april2015-150409160314-conversion-gate01/85/It-s-the-people-s-data-presentation-april-2015-12-320.jpg)
![It’s The People’s Data
SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s
Data
4/18/2015 17
Cons
• Technology is easy;
changing cultures is hard
• Long-term endeavor
• Mgmt/coordination a full-
time task
Pros
• Enhance democratic participation
• Economic development[1]
• Reduce data requests; cost of gov’t
• Enhance profile of local media
• Enhance profile of SPJ; recruit members
• Focused involvement of SPJ members
• New Digital Age skills
• Scalable
• Generate revenue (training & contract
projects)
[1] Joel Gurin. “Building Business with Open Government Data.” March 26, 2015
http://www.slideshare.net/centerforopendataenterprise/sxsw-panel-presentation](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/itsthepeoplesdatapresentation-april2015-150409160314-conversion-gate01/85/It-s-the-people-s-data-presentation-april-2015-17-320.jpg)
It’s the people’s data presentation april 2015
- 1. It’s The People’s Data It’s The People’s Data Tom Johnson, Director - Region 9 Society of Professional Journalists t o m @ j t j o h n s o n . c o m 4/18/2015 1
- 2. It’s The People’s Data4/18/2015 2 Source: The New Yorker. Oct. 4, 2010 http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/10/04/small-change-3 Digital Age driving change. In everything.
- 3. It’s The People’s Data 3 • Journalists, et al., in Datasphere Take in; intellectually “metabolize” FOIA in the Digital Age Data In Analysis Info Out MetabolismLatent Energy In Energy Out Species in Biosphere:
- 4. It’s The People’s Data FOIA in Digital Age • Process = Data In Analysis Info Out • “Data” = 1s and 0s, ergo… • “Data” necessary for qualitative, quantitative, geographic and timeline analysis • The DOCUMENT is not important; the DATA is 4/18/2015 4
- 5. It’s The People’s Data SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s Data • Shift the vocabulary: It’s NOT Freedom of Information; it’s Freedom of DATA • Taxpayers have paid for the collection of the data. Therefore, IT IS THE PEOPLE’S DATA 4/18/2015 5 Image s Tex t Quantativ e .Geo g
- 6. It’s The People’s Data Digital Age flips FOIA • Admirable history[1] of SPJ v. “Closed” gov’t 4/18/2015 6 [1] Swedish Freedom of Information Act of 1766. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1973849/Freedom-of-the-Press-Act-of-1766 Also: [U.S.]History of FOIA.” Electronic Frontier Foundation. https://www.eff.org/issues/transparency/history-of-foia
- 7. It’s The People’s Data Digital Age flips FOIA • Admirable history of SPJ v. “Closed” gov’t • In Digital Age, citizens accustomed to “instant delivery” • History of FOIA is defensive/reactive 4/18/2015 7 David Cuillier Kathryn Foxhall Sonny Albarado
- 8. It’s The People’s Data Digital Age flips FOIA • Admirable history of SPJ v. “Closed” gov’t • FOIA action is too often reactive • In Digital Age, citizens accustomed to “instant delivery,” yet slow-down in gov’t responses.[1] 4/18/2015 8 [1] TED BRIDIS, Mar. 18, 2015 2:43 PM EDT AP. “Administration sets record for withholding government files”
- 9. It’s The People’s Data Digital Age flips FOIA • In Digital Age, citizens accustomed to “instant delivery” • Gov’t agencies complain about being overwhelmed with FOIA requests[1] • Majority of FOIA requests not from journalists[2] [3] • Can we take SPJ, et al. FOIA activities to a local – and broader – audience? 4/18/2015 9 [1] Department of Homeland Security in 2012 and Catherine Andrews. “Why You Need Improved Operational Intelligence for Big Data” March 9, 2015 [2] KEVIN JOHNSON and KEVIN G. HALL. “New players replacing newspapers in seeking government info” USA Today 03/14/2015; 2014 Chief Freedom of Information Act Officer Report to the Attorney General of the United States and FOIA Lawsuits [3] Jeffrey A. Roberts. “State budget includes new AG’s office lawyer to handle growing number of records requests.”Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. 2 April 2015.
- 10. It’s The People’s Data It’s The People’s Data • Traditional government responsibilities 4/18/2015 10 Public Safety Education Public Health Elections Courts Infrastructure
- 11. It’s The People’s Data It’s The People’s Data • Drive change in political & bureaucratic world view 4/18/2015 11 Primary Tasks of Government Public Safety Education Public Health Election Courts Infrastructure Make The People’s Data available to The People
- 12. It’s The People’s Data SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s Data • SPJ chapters and affiliates become the hub of community training, data harvesting, analysis – Local journalism institutions promote and coordinate broad spectrum of interest groups/people[1] 4/18/2015 12 [1] Jeffrey A. Roberts. “State budget includes new AG’s office lawyer to handle growing number of records requests.” Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition. 2 April 2015.
- 13. It’s The People’s Data4/18/2015 13 It’s The People’s Data SPJ Pro & Student+ Local Media Green Party Socialist Party Chamber of Commerce Centrist Party Local Political Scientists Local Economic Develop. Communit y Action Groups Food Banks United Fund Community Foundations Freelancer s Traffic Planners Tea Party Common Cause League of Women Voters
- 14. It’s The People’s Data4/18/2015 14
- 15. It’s The People’s Data SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s Data• SPJ chapters and affiliates become the hub of community training, data harvesting, analysis – Local journalism institutions promote and coordinate broad spectrum of interest groups/people – Conduct city/county data census – Build data base of local data bases – Workshops in data retrieval, cleaning, analysis and story-telling tools – Test, measure and re-test 4/18/2015 15
- 16. It’s The People’s Data SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s Data Cons •Technology is easy; changing cultures is hard •Long-term endeavor •Mgmt/coordination a full-time task 4/18/2015 16
- 17. It’s The People’s Data SPJ Initiative: It’s The People’s Data 4/18/2015 17 Cons • Technology is easy; changing cultures is hard • Long-term endeavor • Mgmt/coordination a full- time task Pros • Enhance democratic participation • Economic development[1] • Reduce data requests; cost of gov’t • Enhance profile of local media • Enhance profile of SPJ; recruit members • Focused involvement of SPJ members • New Digital Age skills • Scalable • Generate revenue (training & contract projects) [1] Joel Gurin. “Building Business with Open Government Data.” March 26, 2015 http://www.slideshare.net/centerforopendataenterprise/sxsw-panel-presentation
- 18. It’s The People’s Data It’s The People’s Data: Next Steps • What do you think? 4/18/2015 18
- 19. It’s The People’s Data It’s The People’s Data Tom Johnson, Director - Region 9 Society of Professional Journalists t o m @ j t j o h n s o n . c o m 4/18/2015 19 Presentation @ slideshare or w w w . b i t . l y / 1 D d L U Q 7 Video @ http://1drv.ms/1H0exlh
- 20. It’s The People’s Data It’s The People’s Data Think Big. Start Small. Move Fast. 4/18/2015 20