Trustworthy Records and Open Data

The Open Data movement has assumed that that accurate data is available to demonstrate government expenditure and actions. However, in many countries, the records of government policies, activities and transactions that should provide the basis for a large proportion of government data are incomplete, inaccurate or inaccessible.  This will result in inaccurate data. This paper suggests that alongside the enthusiasm for Open Data, there needs to be parallel attention to ensuring that government records are managed as the evidence base for Open Government. The paper explores key records issues that will affect Open Data and draws attention to the value of international records management standards.