Press release: UK party leaders challenged to back openness and transparency

UK party leaders challenged to back openness and transparency

May 6, 2019

NEWS FROM OPEN KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION

EMBARGO: IMMEDIATE

UK PARTY LEADERS CHALLENGED TO BACK OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY

PARTY leaders in the UK have been challenged to back greater openness and transparency in this month’s European elections campaign. The Open Knowledge Foundation has written to Prime Minister Theresa May, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and other party leaders across the UK to outline five key demands. Chief executive Catherine Stihler, a former MEP for nearly 20 years, said it is ‘vital that the UK returns MEPs who will champion a fairer and more open society’.

The five pledges are: 1) Opposing the introduction of Article 17 (formerly Draft Article 13) of the EU’s copyright reforms which threatens to restrict the sharing of data and other content on the internet. 2) Supporting improved transparency measures at social media companies like Facebook to prevent the spread of disinformation and fake news. 3) Championing ‘responsible data’ to ensure that data is used ethically and legally, and protects privacy. 4) Backing efforts to force governments and organisations to use established and recognised open licences when releasing data or content. 5) Pushing for greater openness in the UK to ensure we are a world leader in this field.

Catherine Stihler, chief executive of the Open Knowledge Foundation, said: “In this month’s European elections, it is vital that the UK returns MEPs who will champion a fairer and more open society. “There have been many gains in recent years that have made our society more open, with campaigners and researchers using data for the common good. “But I am concerned that openness is at risk. The acceptance of basic facts is under threat, with many expert views dismissed and a culture of ‘anti-intellectualism’ from those on the extremes of politics. “The Open Knowledge Foundation wants to see a fairer and open society where we help harness the power of open data and unleash its potential for the public good. “Voters deserve a commitment from party leaders that their MEPs will champion openness.”

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS

Letters have been sent to: Theresa May, Conservatives Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Nicola Sturgeon, SNP Sir Vince Cable, LibDems Heidi Allen, Change UK Adam Price, Plaid Cymru Jonathan Bartley and Sian Berry, Greens Nigel Farage, The Brexit Party Arlene Foster, DUP Mary Lou McDonald, Sinn Fein Colum Eastwood, SDLP Robin Swann, UUP Naomi Long, Alliance

The letter states:

In this month’s European elections, it is vital that the UK returns MEPs who will champion a fairer and more open society. There have been many gains in recent years that have made our society more open, with campaigners and researchers using data for the common good. But I am concerned that openness is at risk. The acceptance of basic facts is under threat, with many expert views dismissed and a culture of ‘anti-intellectualism’ from those on the extremes of politics. The Open Knowledge Foundation wants to see a fairer and open society where we help harness the power of open data and unleash its potential for the public good.

I am therefore writing to you to ask you as leader of your party to champion open data and transparency in the run-up to these elections, and ensure that Britain’s MEPs become open advocates at the European Parliament.

The Open Knowledge Foundation has identified five key areas we want political parties to focus on: 1) Opposing the introduction of Article 17 (formerly Draft Article 13) of the EU’s copyright reforms which threatens to restrict the sharing of data and other content on the internet. 2) Supporting improved transparency measures at social media companies like Facebook to prevent the spread of disinformation and fake news. 3) Championing ‘responsible data’ to ensure that data is used ethically and legally, and protects privacy. 4) Backing efforts to force governments and organisations to use established and recognised open licences when releasing data or content. 5) Pushing for greater openness in the UK to ensure we are a world leader in this field.

I would welcome a commitment from you as party leader that your MEPs will champion openness, and if you would like further information on the work of the Open Knowledge Foundation I would be delighted to hear from you.

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Stihler CEO Open Knowledge Foundation

Contact: Alan Roden at alan.roden@okfn.org or +44 (0)7753 904 531

ABOUT OPEN KNOWLEDGE FOUNDATION

Open knowledge is any content, information or data that people are free to use, re-use and redistribute without any legal, technological or social restriction. The Open Knowledge Foundation helps governments, universities, and civil society organisations by providing them with skills and tools to publish, use, and understand data. Across the world, we want to see societies where everyone has open access to the information they need to create knowledge they can share. Knowledge is power: while others seek to make societies more closed and to constrict the sharing of information, we fight on the side of openness that benefits us all.