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Alex blogs at:
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May 01 2013
Last September, I gave a 5 minute Ignite talk at the tenth Ignite DC. The video just became available. My talk, embedded below, focused on what I’ve been writing about here at Radar for the past three years: open government, … read moreLinking open data to augmented intelligence and the economy
April 30 2013
After years of steady growth, open data is now entering into public discourse, particularly in the public sector. If President Barack Obama decides to put the White House’s long-awaited new open data mandate before the nation this spring, it will … read moreWhite House Science Fair praises future scientists and makers
April 29 2013
There are few ways to better judge a nation’s character than to look at how its children are educated. What values do their parents, teachers and mentors demonstrate? What accomplishments are celebrated? In a world where championship sports teams are … read moreFinding and telling data-driven stories in billions of tweets
April 18 2013
Twitter has hired its first data editor. Simon Rogers, one of the leading practitioners of data journalism in the world, will join Twitter. He will be moving his family from London to San Francisco and applying his skills to telling data-driven … read moreSprinting toward the future of Jamaica
April 18 2013
Creating the conditions for startups to form is now a policy imperative for governments around the world, as Julian Jay Robinson, minister of state in Jamaica’s Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, reminded the attendees at the “Developing the … read morePredictive analytics and data sharing raise civil liberties concerns
April 11 2013
Last winter, around the same time there was a huge row in Congress over the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA), U.S. Attorney General Holder quietly signed off on expanded rules on government data sharing. The rules allowed the National … read moreMarch 22 2013
When I went to the 2013 SXSW Interactive Festival to host a conversation with NPR’s Javaun Moradi about sensors, society and the media, I thought we would be talking about the future of data journalism. By the time I left … read moreThe City of Chicago wants you to fork its data on GitHub
March 19 2013
GitHub has been gaining new prominence as the use of open source software in government grows. Earlier this month, I included a few thoughts from Chicago’s chief information officer, Brett Goldstein, about the city’s use of GitHub, in a piece … read moreGitHub gains new prominence as the use of open source within governments grows
March 08 2013
When it comes to government IT in 2013, GitHub may have surpassed Twitter and Facebook as the most interesting social network. GitHub’s profile has been rising recently, from a Wired article about open source in government, to its high profile … read moreIf followers can sponsor updates on Facebook, social advertising has a new horizon
March 07 2013
This week, I found that one of my Facebook updates received significantly more attention that others I’ve posted. On the one hand, it was a share of an important New York Times story focusing on the first time a baby … read moreUntangling algorithmic illusions from reality in big data
March 06 2013
Microsoft principal researcher Kate Crawford (@katecrawford) gave a strong talk at last week’s Strata Conference in Santa Clara, Calif. about the limits of big data. She pointed out potential biases in data collection, questioned who may be excluded from it, … read moreUntangling algorithmic illusions from reality in big data
March 04 2013
Microsoft principal researcher Kate Crawford (@katecrawford) gave a strong talk at last week’s Strata Conference in Santa Clara, Calif. about the limits of big data. She pointed out potential biases in data collection, questioned who may be excluded from it, … read moreOn the power and perils of “preemptive government”
February 28 2013
The last time I spoke with Stephen Goldsmith, he was the Deputy Mayor of New York City, advocating for increased use of “citizensourcing,” where government uses technology tools to tap into the distributed intelligence of residents to understand – and … read moreGovernments looking for economic ROI must focus on open data with business value
February 25 2013
There’s increasing interest in the open data economy from the research wings of consulting firms. Capgemini Consulting just published a new report on the open data economy. McKinsey’s Global Institute is following up its research on big data with an … read moreWhite House moves to increase public access to scientific research online
February 22 2013
Today, the White House responded to a We The People e-petition that asked for free online access to taxpayer-funded research. As part of the response, John Holdren, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, released … read moreVA looks to apply innovation to better care and service for veterans
February 21 2013
There are few areas as emblematic of a nation’s values than how it treats the veterans of its wars. As improved battlefield care keeps more soldiers alive from injuries that would have been lethal in past wars, more grievously injured … read morePersonal data ownership drives market transparency and empowers consumers
February 13 2013
On Monday morning, the Obama administration launched a new community focused on consumer data at Data.gov. While there was no new data to be found among the 507 datasets listed there, it was the first time that smart disclosure has … read moreLooking at the many faces and forms of data journalism
February 07 2013
Over the past year, I’ve been investigating data journalism. In that work, I’ve found no better source for understanding the who, where, what, how and why of what’s happening in this area than the journalists who are using and even … read moreInvesting in the open data economy
February 05 2013
If you had 10 million pounds to spend on open data research, development and startups, what would you do with it? That’s precisely the opportunity that Gavin Starks (@AgentGav) has been given as the first CEO of the Open Data … read moreNASA launches second International Space Apps Challenge
January 31 2013
From April 20 to April 21, on Earth Day, the second international Space Apps Challenge will invite developers on all seven continents to the bridge to contribute code to NASA projects. Given longstanding concerns about the sustainability of apps contests, … read moreOpen data economy: Eight business models for open data and insight from Deloitte UK
January 28 2013
When I asked whether the push to free up government data was resulting in economic activity and startup creation, I started to receive emails from people around the United States and Europe. I’ll be publishing more of what I learned … read moreMaking open data more valuable, one micropayment at a time
January 23 2013
When it comes to making sense of the open data economy, tracking cents is valuable. In San Francisco, where Mayor Ed Lee’s administration has reinvigorated city efforts to release open data for economic benefits, entrepreneur Yo Yoshida has made the … read moreU.S. House makes legislative data more open to the people in XML
January 11 2013
It was a good week for open government data in the United States Congress. On Tuesday, the Clerk of the House made House floor summaries available in bulk XML format. Yesterday, the House of Representatives announced that it will make … read moreWant to analyze performance data for accountability? Focus on quality first.
January 10 2013
Here’s an ageless insight that will endure well beyond the “era of big data“: poor collection practices and aging IT will derail any institutional efforts to use data analysis to improve performance. According to an investigation by the Los Angeles … read more14 big trends to watch in 2013
December 22 2012
2012 was a remarkable year for technology, government and society. In our 2012 year in review, we looked back at 10 trends that mattered. Below, we look ahead to the big ideas and technologies that will change the world, again. … read moreBig, open and more networked than ever: 10 trends from 2012
December 22 2012
In 2012, technology-accelerated change around the world was driven by the wave of social media, data and mobile devices. In this year in review, we look back at some of the stories that mattered here at Radar and look ahead … read moreSix ways data journalism is making sense of the world, around the world
December 20 2012
When I wrote that Radar was investigating data journalism and asked for your favorite examples of good work, we heard back from around the world. I received emails from Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Canada and Italy that featured data visualization, explored … read moreDARPA and Defense Department look to a more open source future
December 18 2012
As the United States military marches further into the age of networked warfare, data networks and the mobile platforms to distribute and access them will become even more important. This fall, the (retired) eighth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs … read moreMaking dollars and sense of the open data economy
December 11 2012
Over the past several years, I’ve been writing about how government data is moving into the marketplaces, underpinning ideas, products and services. Open government data and application programming interfaces to distribute it, more commonly known as APIs, increasingly look like … read morePanjiva uses government data to build a global search engine for commerce
December 06 2012
“If you go back to how we got started,” mused Josh Green, “government data really is at the heart of that story.” Green, who co-founded Panjiva with Jim Psota in 2006, was demonstrating the newest version of Panjiva.com to me … read moreThe United States (Code) is on Github
December 06 2012
When Congress launched Congress.gov in beta, they didn’t open the data. This fall, a trio of open government developers took it upon themselves to do what custodians of the U.S. Code and laws in the Library of Congress could have … read moreAs digital disruption comes to Africa, investing in data journalism takes on new importance
November 29 2012
This interview is part of our ongoing look at the people, tools and techniques driving data journalism. I first met Justin Arenstein (@justinarenstein) in Chişinău, Moldova, where the media entrepreneur and investigative journalist was working as a trainer at a … read moreU.S. Senate to consider long overdue reforms on electronic privacy
November 27 2012
In 2010, electronic privacy needed digital due process. In 2012, it’s worth defending your vanishing rights online. This week, there’s an important issue before Washington that affects everyone who sends email, stores files in Dropbox or sends private messages on … read moreNovember 26 2012
Great journalism has always been based on adding context, clarity and compelling storytelling to facts. While the tools have improved, the art is the same: explaining the who, what, where, when and why behind the story. The explosion of data, … read more3 big ideas for big data in the public sector
November 15 2012
If you’re going to try to apply the lessons of “Moneyball” to New York City,’ you’ll need to get good data, earn the support of political leaders and build a team of data scientists. That’s precisely what Mike Flowers has … read moreAn innovation agenda to help people win the race against the machines
November 14 2012
If the country is going to have a serious conversation about innovation, unemployment and job creation, we must talk about our race against the machines. For centuries, we’ve been automating people out of jobs. Today’s combination of big data, automation … read moreIn the 2012 election, big data-driven analysis and campaigns were the big winners
November 08 2012
On Tuesday night, President Barack Obama was elected to a second term in office. In a world of technology and political punditry, the big winner is Nate Silver, the New York Times blogger at Five Thirty Eight. (Break out your … read moreCharging up: Networking resources and recovery after Hurricane Sandy
November 02 2012
Even though the direct danger from Hurricane Sandy has passed, lower Manhattan and many parts of Connecticut and New Jersey remain a disaster zone, with millions of people still without power, reduced access to food and gas, and widespread damage … read moreNYC’s PLAN to alert citizens to danger during Hurricane Sandy
October 30 2012
Starting at around 8:36 PM ET last night, as Hurricane Sandy began to flood the streets of lower Manhattan, many New Yorkers began to receive an unexpected message: a text alert on their mobile phones that strongly urged them to … read moreTracking the data storm around Hurricane Sandy
October 29 2012
Just over fourteen months ago, social, mapping and mobile data told the story of Hurricane Irene. As a larger, more unusual late October storm churns its way up the East Coast, the people in its path are once again acting … read moreWhat I learned about #debates, social media and being a pundit on Al Jazeera English
October 22 2012
Earlier this month, when I was asked by Al Jazeera English if I’d like to be go on live television to analyze the online side of the presidential debates, I didn’t immediately accept. I’d be facing a live international audience … read moreSan Francisco looks to tap into the open data economy
October 19 2012
As interest in open data continues to grow around the world, cities have become laboratories for participatory democracy. They’re also ground zero for new experiments in spawning civic startups that deliver city services or enable new relationships between the people … read moreData from health care reviews could power “Yelp for health care” startups
October 17 2012
Given where my work and health has taken me this year, I’ve been thinking much more about the relationship of the Internet and health data to accountability and patient-driven health care. When I was looking for a place in Maine … read moreThe missing ingredient from hyperwired debates: the feedback loop
October 03 2012
What a difference a season makes. A few months after widespread online frustration with a tape-delayed Summer Olympics, the 2012 Presidential debates will feature the most online livestreams and wired, up-to-the-second digital coverage in history. Given the pace of technological … read moreFour key trends changing digital journalism and society
September 28 2012
It’s not just a focus on data that connects the most recent class of Knight News Challenge winners. They all are part of a distributed civic media community that works on open source code, collects and improves data, and collaborates … read moreCongress launches Congress.gov in beta, doesn’t open the data
September 19 2012
The Library of Congress is now more responsive — at least when it comes to web design. Today, the nation’s repository for its laws launched a new beta website at Congress.gov and announced that it would eventually replace Thomas.gov, the … read moreA marriage of data and caregivers gives Dr. Atul Gawande hope for health care
August 30 2012
Dr. Atul Gawande (@Atul_Gawande) has been a bard in the health care world, straddling medicine, academia and the humanities as a practicing surgeon, medical school professor, best-selling author and staff writer at the New Yorker magazine. His long-form narratives and … read morePresident Obama participates in first Presidential AMA on Reddit
August 29 2012
Starting around 4:30 PM ET today, President Barack Obama made history by going onto Reddit to answer questions about anything for an hour. Reddit, one of the most popular social news sites on the Internet, has been hosting “Ask Me … read moreBalancing health privacy with innovation will rely on improving informed consent
August 23 2012
Society is now faced with how to balance the privacy of the individual patient with the immense social good that could come through great health data sharing. Making health data more open and fluid holds both the potential to be … read moreWith new maps and apps, the case for open transit gets stronger
August 13 2012
Earlier this year, the news broke that Apple would be dropping default support for transit in iOS 6. For people (like me) who use the iPhone to check transit routes and times when they travel, that would mean losing a … read moreRecent Posts | All O'Reilly Posts
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