Open Data Network

Open Data Network

The Open Data Network is a civil-society based network which aims to bring the issues of Open Data, Open Acces and Open Goveernment, Transparency and Participation on the political agenda. The Networks aim it to provide all citizens full access to all Data from Politics, Public Administration and Science. We want to encourage and strenghten direct democratic forms and methods for collaboration and participation . With this, we want to open up government and administrations to make them more transparent and citizen-friendlier.

The Open Data Network is an open plattform for groups and single people consisting of civil society, NGOs, science and politics. Part of the network is the Open Data Network Association (in German: eingetragener Verein e.V.).

We encourage all interested people to take part in the Open Data Network. We look forward towards working with you.

Our principles and procedures:

• bipartisan

• independent

• non-commercial

• transparent

• direct democratic decision-making

• citizen-centered

• network between civil-society, NGO, science and politics

• not associated to a special organization

Aims and purposes of the Open Data Network:

1) Policy

The Open Data Network (e.V.) considers itself an active part of the German and European Civil Society. The Open Data Network should work in a bipartisan, independent and cross-border way. The Open Data Network should protect and promote the civic rights as laid down in the Grundgesetz (the German Constitution) and the European Convention on Human Rights.

2) Freedom of Information

For a strong civil society with multiple channels for active participation, freedom of information is crucial. Freedom of information and education is a constituting, unalienable part of our Democracy.
Beside the freedom and independence of the press, the right of free speech, this information includes more and more data from science, politics and public administration. The “Informationsfreiheitsgesetz” (like the “Freedom if Information Act”) guarantees all citizens access to this information without restrictions, at least in theory. De facto, there are many obstacles to this right. Purpose of the Open Data Network is, to ease the access to this informations for all citizens and therefore provide a contribution to make politics and public administration more transparent, accountable and democratic.

3) Civil liberties in the information-society

The development of the information-society brings new chances and risks. This contains the protection of private data as well as the right to Informational self-determination. Aim of the Open Data Network is to promote civil liberties in the information society.

4) Educational Work

The Open Data Network wants to promote better media- and political competence for citizens of Germany and the European Union to allow better participation in politics, society and democracy. To fullfill this aim, the Open Data Network will stage Events in the related fields of interest.

5) Research and Development of collaborative forms of participation

The digitization of data creates new possibilities for participation and thus new forms of direct democracy (liquid democracy for example). Purpose of the Open Data Network is, to do research and promote research in the field of greater transparency and collaborative forms of participation.