Below is the video of my recent TEDxZwolle talk on why using Open Data is important. (Slides and transcript here)

Open Data is a source of enormous potential both socially and economically.
There is also a much more compelling reason why we need Open Data.

First our global networked society needs openly shared things, such as data. Openness and sharing is what makes networks function. The important bit about Open Data, is the openness.

Second, our networked society also means increased complexity because of all the new connections and myriads of feedback loops. Open Data is useful here to spot patterns, to contextualize your everyday life, to find the stories that are invisible to the singular perspective. Open Data, as it’s available to all, enhances your singular perspective to better grasp the complexity of your world.

Without Open Data we are like ants, without a clue of how our behavior contributes to the complexity of the anthill. With Open Data we can understand the anthill and our role in it better.

Don’t be an ant. Understand the anthill. Use Open Data. Understand your world.