2020年5月14日，香港 —— 香港互聯網協會發起了「香港開放數據指數」計劃（下稱「計劃」），旨在引入國際開放數據標準和經驗，定期評估和監察香港開放數據發展情況，並推動完善相關政策。首份報告今日（5月14日）發佈。報告指出，政府已透過各部門網站披露豐富資料，但一批與公眾利益相關的數據仍未經開放數據平台「資料一線通」釋出，未能滿足開放標準，而各部門對標準的應用不一，令市民無所適從。報告建議政府設立網上公眾參與平台，根據市民所需決定應開放的數據及優先次序，並成立跨部門工作小組審視及解決標準問題。
研究發現「資料一線通」未收錄部分重要數據，政府各部門應用標準不一
是次研究涵蓋政府開放數據網站「資料一線通」、其他政府部門、公營機構及個別私人公司的網站，整體而言資料豐富，不過單計「資料一線通」的可得程度就只得7.27分（滿分為10），較其他網站平均分9.02為低，表示部分現存於政府部門網站的重要數據尚未以開放數據形式透過「資料一線通」釋出，包括政府招標公告、聯絡方式、旅遊警示、公共房屋（包括輪候時間及編配狀況）等等。研究的檢視清單是透過回顧國際標準及本地諮詢程序後得出，能反應數據的重要性。
報告另一項發現是政府各部門應用的標準不一甚至有缺失，問題較嚴重的包括開放授權、元數據、永久保存（檔案）等指標。例如「資料一線通」的開放授權標準允許作商業用途，但有部分出現於政府部門網站的同樣數據則「僅限於作個人用途或非商業性質的內部用途」，顯示出政府各網上平台及各部門之間的版權條款亦不一致，可能令人誤墮法網。此外，報告發現大量數據集並無配備完整的元數據(metadata)，某些政府部門甚至未能妥善保存曾經發佈過的歷史數據，或未有開放公眾網上查閱。
政府應根據公眾需求開放數據，成立跨部門工作小組 統一數據發佈標準
香港互聯網協會認為政府應當根據市民所需優先開放具社會及經濟價值的數據，建議設立互動參與平台，讓市民公開提出需求及理據，亦可就數據標準提出意見。政府應就市民需求作公開回應，不單開放數據本身亦開放參與過程。上海和臺北等鄰近城市已成立開放數據公眾參與平台，值得香港借鏡；同時，協會建議政府成立跨部門工作小組以審視標準，由政府不同部門的專家參與，於數據管理、資訊科技、法律、行政管理、檔案各方面督促各部門按統一標準發佈數據。
關於香港互聯網協會
香港互聯網協會是國際互聯網協會(ISOC) 的香港分會。成立於2005年，香港互聯網協會致力維護一個無論在科技或政策層面均開放和無障礙的互聯網，和為一個可持續發展和豐富人類經驗的資訊社會做出貢獻。 香港互聯網協會亦推廣一個開放、不受限制和有益的互聯網；捍衛表達及言論自由、保障個人私隱和反對歧視。
關於「香港開放數據指數」計劃
香港政府把開放數據納入「香港智慧城市藍圖」發展計劃，各政策局和部門自2018年起每年發佈開放數據計劃。 有見及此，香港互聯網協會建立了一套評估工具，參考19組國際和地區性的評估工具及標準，同時綜合本地持份者意見，以12個開放數據指標包括開放授權、機器可讀、元數據等，測量16個關鍵類別如政府運作、土地、交通等的數據。計劃將每年發布香港開放數據指數評估以追踪發展進度。計劃歡迎社會各界就開放數據指數的評估方法提出意見及建議，協會亦將推出公眾小額月捐計劃，使研究以獨立方式持續運作以進行年度評估，監察香港開放數據進程，與持份者共同推動開放數據發展。詳情可參閱計劃網頁https://opendata.isoc.hk/。
左起 starting from the left：「香港開放數據指數」研究員 周穗斌， g0vhk發起人 黃浩華，香港互聯網協會董事 鄭斌彬 Benjamin Zhou, Researcher of “Hong Kong Open Data Index”; Ben Cheng, Director of Internet Society Hong Kong; Ho Wa Wong, Convener of g0vhk
“Hong Kong Open Data Index” reveals the progress and shortcomings of open data in HK — Internet Society Hong Kong urges the government to respond to public needs, open up data and improve data releasing standards
May 14th, 2020, Hong Kong– Internet Society Hong Kong (ISOC HK) has started the “Hong Kong Open Data Index” initiative (the initiative), aimed at introducing international open data standards and practices, assessing and monitoring Hong Kong open data development, and driving the enhancement of open data policy in Hong Kong. The first assessment has been launched today (May 14th), revealing that while the government has already published a wide range of datasets, some datasets concerning matters of public interest are still not published on the government’s data portal, “data.gov.hk” and have failed to fulfill open data standards. Moreover, different departments are publishing their datasets with different standards, causing inconvenience to data use. The report suggests the government establish an online public participation platform to gauge public opinion and set the priorities of publishing data accordingly; furthermore, the government should set up a cross-departmental task force to review and coordinate the standards for releasing datasets.
Findings: critical data sets missing from “data.gov.hk”; different departments apply different standards in releasing datasets
The assessment covered the government’s data portal, “data.gov.hk”, and other websites, including those of individual government departments, non-governmental organisations and private companies. It was discovered that although most datasets are available, “data.gov.hk” scored only 7.27 in terms of dataset availability (out of 10), poorer than the performance of other websites (scored 9.02). Some critical datasets that are available on websites of individual government departments are not yet published in the form of open data on “data.gov.hk”, for example, the government’s calls for tender and contact points, travel alerts, and public housing (including waiting time and allocation status). The list of dataset categories should be considered significant since it was decided according to a review of international open data standards and local stakeholder consultation.
On the other hand, the report revealed that different government departments applied various releasing standards, exhibiting particularly poor performances in indicators such as Open licence, Metadata, and Historical records. For instance, “Data.gov.hk” adopts Open licence, allowing the public to freely obtain, reuse, and redistribute datasets, but the same dataset published on the website of the government department only allows “personal use or non-commercial internal use”. The inconsistent standards of publishing data between the data portal and department websites pose potential legal risks to data users. Apart from this, the report revealed that many datasets are not accompanied by metadata; also, some government departments have not maintained nor published the historical records (archives) of data online.
The government should open up data according to public demand and set up a cross-departmental task force to unify the standards of publishing data
Internet Society Hong Kong urges the government to prioritise publishing datasets providing social and economic value according to public opinion. By setting up an online public participation platform, citizens can voice their requests and reasons, as well as making suggestions about the standards of publishing datasets. The government should not only set up a public participation platform, it should respond openly to the requests made by the public, and make the participation process open and transparent. Other regions, such as Shanghai and Taipei, have already established public participation platforms for open data. The Hong Kong government should learn from other regions to enhance Hong Kong’s open data performance. At the same time, the Society also urges the government to set up a cross-departmental open data task force to review the standards of publishing data. The task force should consist of experts from different departments to supervise each department on data management, information technology, law, administrative management, etc. and unify the standards of publishing data.
About Internet Society Hong Kong
Internet Society Hong Kong is the Hong Kong chapter of the Internet Society. Established in 2005, ISOC HK envisions an open and accessible network, in both technology and policy, and contributes to and provides a platform for sustainable development of the information society, which enriches the human experience. ISOC HK is dedicated to the open, unencumbered, beneficial use of the Internet; the upholding of the freedom of expression and opinion, privacy of personal information, and elimination of social discrimination; through responsible self-regulation and harmonised governance.
About “Hong Kong Open Data Index”
The Hong Kong government adopted Open Data into its “Smart City Blueprint” strategic development. Since 2018, more than 80 bureaux and departments have started publishing their open data plans annually. To fill the knowledge gap and enhance open data policy in Hong Kong, Internet Society Hong Kong therefore initiated the “Hong Kong Open Data Index” project. The Index was established through a review of and reference to 19 international and regional assessment tools and standards, as well as consultation with local stakeholders, using 12 indicators (eg. open licence, machine-readable, metadata, etc.) to measure 16 critical data set categories (eg. government operations, land, housing, etc.). Annual assessment will be conducted to keep track of the progress of open data development in Hong Kong. The project welcomes opinions and suggestions from different sectors regarding the assessment methodology. Meanwhile, the project is launching a public monthly small donation scheme, aimed at enabling an independent operation of the Index. For more information, please visit https://opendata.isoc.hk/.