open data and empowering intermediaries. why and how the open data movement wants to transform...
TRANSCRIPT
Open Data and Empowering IntermediariesWhy and how the Open Data Movement wants to transform Journalism
27.06.14 | 1
Stefan Baack, PhD CandidateCentre for Media and Journalism StudiesUniversity of [email protected] - @tweetbaack
Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland
27.06.14 | 2
Outline
1. Why activists are interested in Journalism2. How activists attempt to influence Journalism3. Concluding thoughts
27.06.14 | 3
1. Why activists are interested in Journalism
› Short answer: Because the empowering potential activists see in Open Data can only be fulfilled with intermediaries that make raw data accessible to the public
27.06.14 | 4
1. Why activists are interested in Journalism
› Empowering potential of Open Data?
› Transformation of Open Source culture: ‘raw data’ is regarded as ‘source code’ that should be shared openly
27.06.14 | 5
1. Why activists are interested in Journalism
› Raw data is an oxymoron! But…› Sharing it openly democratizes the process of
interpreting it
› Availability of raw data breaks information monopolies and represents a ‘democratization of information’› Everybody has the opportunity to make his or her
own interpretation of raw data
27.06.14 | 6
1. Why activists are interested in Journalism
› For activists, this democratization of information has the potential to empower citizens because it allows them…
› …to better understand and control their governments
› …to participate meaningfully on a broader scale
27.06.14 | 7
1. Why activists are interested in Journalism
› But: Without (Data-)Intermediaries, no empowerment
› Empowering intermediaries should be:› Data-driven› Open› Encourage participation
27.06.14 | 8
2. How activists attempt to influence Journalism
› In two ways:
1. Seeking co-operations and offer teaching
2. Acting as intermediaries themselves
27.06.14 | 9
2. How activists attempt to influence Journalism
› Co-operation and teaching
27.06.14 | 10
2. How activists attempt to influence Journalism
› Acting as intermediaries› Trying to fulfill ‘journalistic’ functions outside
professional journalism – complementing or replacing it?
27.06.14 | 11
2. How activists attempt to influence Journalism
› Acting as intermediaries: Complementing or replacing professional journalism?
Example 1: FragDenStaat.de (WhatDoTheyKnow)
27.06.14 | 12
2. How activists attempt to influence Journalism
› Acting as intermediaries: Complementing or replacing professional journalism?
Example 2: FrankfurtGestalten.de (‘ShapingFrankfurt’)
27.06.14 | 13
To summarize…
1. Activists are interested in journalism because the empowering potential of Open Data can only be fulfilled with ‘empowering intermediaries’
2. Values and practices of activists have the potential to reinforce the position of professional journalists as ‘data-intermediaries’, but at the same time could also challenge the professional autonomy of journalism
27.06.14 | 14
3. Concluding thoughts
› Broader implications?
• Activists in the Open Data movement apply practices and values from the Open Source culture to society at large through Open Data (see also Kelty 2008)
• Open Data as a ‘vehicle’ of values and practices from Open Source culture?
27.06.14 | 15
3. Concluding thoughts
› The ‘datafication’ of society may not only lead to 'Big Data rationalities', but also to a spread of values and practices from Open Source culture, which can form the basis to articulate concepts like participation, democracy and journalism in new ways
– Relevance?
27.06.14 | 16
Thank you!
27.06.14 | 17
Stefan Baack, PhD CandidateCentre for Media and Journalism StudiesUniversity of [email protected] - @tweetbaack
Reference
› Kelty, C. M. (2008). Two Bits: The Cultural Significance of Free Software. Durham: Duke University Press. Retrieved from http://twobits.net/read/
27.06.14 | 18