This document discusses open data in Hong Kong. It notes that open data helps people understand the world and make better decisions. However, Hong Kong's open data program still has room for improvement, with data sometimes only available in non-machine readable formats like PDFs and JPGs, and licensing that is not fully open. The document advocates for fully open licensing of data, as well as policies like a Freedom of Information law and an Archives law to strengthen open data practices in Hong Kong.

1. Open data creates public value.
Open data helps people better understand
the world around them and make better
decisions.
● Since March 2013
● Educate and inform about open data
● Foster collaborations with open data
● Advocate for more, better, open data
Budget hack event
LegCo consultation: Digital Budget
data
Discussion: Right to be Forgotten
JOIN US Find us on Facebook: “Open Data Hong Kong Community”

2. Beginning: Discovery
Started late February, 2013
Discussion about what is going on
with Open Data at the “barcamp”
unconference

3. Meetups (37 events to date…)

4. Hackathons

5. Milestones
• Founded March 2013 (I joined a few months after)
• Open Knowledge International network “Group”, May
2013
• Meets, hackathons, supported events and more
• Yearly Open Data Day events
• Legco visit in Oct 2016, Efficiency Office workshop
Dec 2014, several meetups/meetings with OGCIO
• Co-organised HKU “Unlocking the Value of Open
Data” conference, June 2018

6. The state of OD in HK
• No-data to Data.One to Data.Gov.HK
• Improved machine readability (Jpgs/PDFs to CSVs)
• Moved up the GODI rankings to 24th (disagree with
numbers)
• Licensing simplified but still not CC/OpenGov
interoperable
• Now have API (too many)
• Expensive data access fees
• Still no archiving or FOI law
(though we have a code)
• HK = PSI not Open Data

7. How to fix this:
Liberating our own open data (CC0)…
http://publicdatahk.com/dataset/hong-kong-2011-census-data

8. https://osf.io/cgpzb/ In press…
How to fix this? Fill policy vacuum
Advocacy efforts: Policy Research

9. Advocacy efforts: Op Eds & media
How to fix this? Fill policy vacuum

10. Advocacy efforts
Submissions of the Hong Kong UPR Coalition:
• HKSAR should adopt a Freedom of Information Ordinance that
establishes maximum disclosure and minimal exemption requirements,
within one year.
• HKSAR should adopt an Archives Ordinance, incorporating
mandatory public sector compliance and penalties for non-compliance,
destruction of records and denial of access, within one year.
How to fix this? Fill policy vacuum
https://www.hkreform.gov.hk/en/publications/accesstoinfo.htm
6 December 2018:
Access to Information HKLRC
Consultation Paper published

11. Advocacy efforts
How to fix this? Fill policy vacuum
https://www.legco.gov.hk/yr18-19/english/panels/itb/papers/itb20181210cb4-283-3-e.pdf
Submitted a comment on licensing: need for CC-BY or compliant Open Government Licence