Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms
This paper investigates open public data and data sharing reforms in Australia (2018–2022) and their potential role in deepening the ‘data divide’. In the contemporary datafied welfare state, open public data and data sharing are increasingly vexed issues in times of data-driven artificial intellige...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Big Data & Society |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517241311585 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832557417911549952 |
|---|---|
| author | Xiaofang Yao Anthony McCosker Yong-Bin Kang |
| author_facet | Xiaofang Yao Anthony McCosker Yong-Bin Kang |
| author_sort | Xiaofang Yao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper investigates open public data and data sharing reforms in Australia (2018–2022) and their potential role in deepening the ‘data divide’. In the contemporary datafied welfare state, open public data and data sharing are increasingly vexed issues in times of data-driven artificial intelligence (AI). We scrutinise public consultation surrounding the establishment of the Australian Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 (DAT Act). Through topic modelling and critical discourse analysis, the study examines the representation and concerns of marginalised groups in the reform process. We highlight the overlooked role of non-profits and civil society in the public data ecosystem. The analysis emphasises the significant yet unacknowledged contributions of these organisations in advocating for data equity and justice. We argue that responsible and equitable public data practices do not just depend on administrative and technical procedures for data sharing but are fundamentally entwined with the social and institutional hierarchies in which public data is produced and used. The study calls for greater inclusion and support for civil society organisations to bridge the data divide, contributing to broader debates on the merits and challenges of open data and data sharing practices within a data justice framework. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-07becc502543473c8446f49b88f0a328 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2053-9517 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | SAGE Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Big Data & Society |
| spelling | doaj-art-07becc502543473c8446f49b88f0a3282025-02-03T05:03:20ZengSAGE PublishingBig Data & Society2053-95172025-03-011210.1177/20539517241311585Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reformsXiaofang Yao0Anthony McCosker1Yong-Bin Kang2 , Hong Kong, Hong Kong , Hawthorn, VIC, Australia , Hawthorn, VIC, AustraliaThis paper investigates open public data and data sharing reforms in Australia (2018–2022) and their potential role in deepening the ‘data divide’. In the contemporary datafied welfare state, open public data and data sharing are increasingly vexed issues in times of data-driven artificial intelligence (AI). We scrutinise public consultation surrounding the establishment of the Australian Data Availability and Transparency Act 2022 (DAT Act). Through topic modelling and critical discourse analysis, the study examines the representation and concerns of marginalised groups in the reform process. We highlight the overlooked role of non-profits and civil society in the public data ecosystem. The analysis emphasises the significant yet unacknowledged contributions of these organisations in advocating for data equity and justice. We argue that responsible and equitable public data practices do not just depend on administrative and technical procedures for data sharing but are fundamentally entwined with the social and institutional hierarchies in which public data is produced and used. The study calls for greater inclusion and support for civil society organisations to bridge the data divide, contributing to broader debates on the merits and challenges of open data and data sharing practices within a data justice framework.https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517241311585 |
| spellingShingle | Xiaofang Yao Anthony McCosker Yong-Bin Kang Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms Big Data & Society |
| title | Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms |
| title_full | Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms |
| title_fullStr | Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms |
| title_short | Deepening the data divide: Marginalised perspectives and non-profit priorities in Australian data sharing reforms |
| title_sort | deepening the data divide marginalised perspectives and non profit priorities in australian data sharing reforms |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517241311585 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT xiaofangyao deepeningthedatadividemarginalisedperspectivesandnonprofitprioritiesinaustraliandatasharingreforms AT anthonymccosker deepeningthedatadividemarginalisedperspectivesandnonprofitprioritiesinaustraliandatasharingreforms AT yongbinkang deepeningthedatadividemarginalisedperspectivesandnonprofitprioritiesinaustraliandatasharingreforms |