On Saturday, August 27, fellow transparency advocates gathered for the California Database Hunt, a virtual and IRL (In Real Life) sprint to collect data catalogs from local governments across California.
As of July 1, 2016, local government agencies such as cities and counties are required to publish on their websites an inventory of all the "enterprise systems" they use to store primary records or information on the public. These catalogs not only name the databases, but the type of data they collect and store, the name of the software used, and the vendor. These new requirements open all kinds of new possibilities for open-data innovators and privacy watchdogs alike.
But first we need to index all these catalogs. That is, we want to catch 'em all.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Sunlight Foundation, and the Data Foundation teamed up for a four-hour session to sweep through California cities and counties, large and small, and other local agencies to collect these catalogs. We need your help.
In San Francisco:
Electronic Frontier Foundation
815 Eddy St
San Francisco, CA 94115
In Washington, D.C.:
When: Saturday, August 27, 2:00pm-6:00pm
Where: Data Foundation
1003 K St NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
* School districts were exempted from the reporting requirements. The legislation also does not affect state agencies.
