Data.gov Surpasses 100,000 Datasets

 

Today, Federal CIO Vivek Kundra announced that the number of datasets on Data.gov has increased from 47 to more than 100,000 – with new sets being added continuously.

 

Data.gov was created to open up the workings of government by allowing the public to easily access datasets generated by the Federal government to perform research, build applications, and conduct analyses. Since its launch in June, Data.gov has received more than 18 million hits.

 

Public participation and collaboration are critical components to the success of Data.gov. The public can suggest datasets they'd like to see, rate and comment on current datasets, and suggest ways to improve the site. The early response has been very positive. Individuals and organizations are not only viewing the data, but are also improving upon our work by analyzing and repurposing the information. The Sunlight Foundation recently launched Apps for America 2: The Data.gov Challenge to elicit from the public the most innovative applications based on the data available on Data.gov. One of the submissions is FlyOnTime.us. This site uses data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, available on Data.gov, to allow consumers to see estimated versus actual arrival times for flights on major commercial carriers.

 

As part of the movement towards transparency and openness, Vivek Kundra has been working with state and local governments to encourage them to open the warehouses of public data. A few have already taken up the challenge, and you can track their progress by clicking here.