Bravo Lotta Edholm (FP)!

Lotta Edholm (FP) writes in Svenska Dagbladet, Thursday, January 14, an excellent debate article: "Stockholmers should have control over information"

Lotta Edholm (FP) writes in Svenska Dagbladet, Thursday, January 14, an excellent debate article: "Stockholmarna ska ha kontroll över informationen". The tax-funded public sector produces a lot of interesting information. A few of the many good examples are weather data, map information, official statistics, traffic information and information on housing.

Many interesting content services could be developed from this. In Norway, weather information is free, which has made yr.no an enormous success with weather for the whole world - one might ask why SMHI was not the first to do so - a leading IT nation, as Sweden is considered to be? In the USA there is now a site, data.gov, where US government information is gradually becoming accessible by standardized means.

In its consultation response concerning the introduction of a harmonized European regulatory framework for publicly produced information, the so-called PSI Directive, IT&Telecom has pointed out how Sweden is lagging behind. Sweden is virtually the last country in the EU to introduce the directives and has thus been given a severe dressing down by the Commission.

We wholeheartedly support Lotta Edholm, and sincerely hope that her alliance colleagues in the government, county councils and municipalities read and follow her proposals!