Open data –  engine for innovation or simply hot air?

"But how far should the federal government and regional administrations go in providing open (geo)-data? And at what point should security risks override transparency? The federal government and regional administrations have been discussing this issue quite pointedly and have reached differing conclusions, as is so often the case in federalist structures. While the city-states Berlin and Hamburg, followed by larger states North Rhine-Westphalia and Thuringia, have voted clearly in favour of open data, others can’t seem to make up their minds. The German government set out its markers years ago by launching the extensive 'Webatlas' open data portal and obliged the regional administrations to release at least a certain minimum level of geodata. The INSPIRE Directive also demands open data access right down to the most local authoritory unit, which commits regional and local administrations to releasing a set minimum of their own open data."