Why make our data available? The Guardian are spearheading a campaign to lobby government-funded and approved organisations to make their data freely available to the public, given that it is paid for by the taxpayer. Free our Data argue that this restricts innovation, and artificially restricts the number and variety of organisations that can offer services based on that most useful data- which our taxes have helped to collect. Michael Cross give an overview of their work to date.

1. Free our Data a campaign that succeeded! www.freeourdata.org.uk Michael Cross [email_address]

2. Photo by Steve Punter

3. E-government 1.0 Government Direct (1996) Officialdom online

4. Photo by Remy Steinegger, Copyright World Economic Forum

5. E-government 2.0 Modernising Government (1999) Services online

6. E-government 2.1 Transformational Government (2005) Service Transformation (2007)

11. E-government 3.0 Power of Information (2007) Engage with new economy... Free data!

19. E-government 3.0 Power of Information v Power of status quo

22. Free our Data ! www.freeourdata.org.uk Michael Cross @michaelcross [email_address]