Open data helps power anti-corruption efforts

A team working together achieves more than the individual. Like teamwork, sharing data fosters better collaboration to achieve more than data remaining in proprietary silos.  

To confront some of society’s toughest issues using new technologies, we need policies and practices that encourage more open data and data collaboration. That’s why Microsoft launched the Open Data Campaign to help organizations of all sizes unlock the power of data. We believe everyone can benefit from opening, sharing, and collaborating around data to make better decisions, improve efficiency, and help tackle some of the world’s most pressing societal challenges. 

Just as Microsoft is committed to advancing open data, it’s committed to fighting corruption. Through Microsoft ACTS, we mobilize the power of data to assist governments in bending the curve of corruption. Most anti-corruption solutions require access to large datasets and other key pieces of data. This access allows technologies, such as AI, to learn and refine algorithms that can uncover hidden connections and find corruption. But without enough usable data, the effectiveness of tools like AI are limited. Continued growth in open data and a shift toward greater transparency practices promote ongoing efforts against corruption. 

Adapting to open data together 

While many governments and organizations pledge their commitments to open data and opposition to corruption, we understand we all have a long way to go. A 2017 World Wide Web Foundation survey of 115 countries found that 9 of 10 government datasets weren’t open. In recent years, countries have shared more data and adopted more open data practices, but there’s still plenty of work to do. Findings show a significant amount of government data still isn’t publicly available, and if it is, it may not be in easily accessible or understandable formats.