In this hour are doing a lot to discuss the statements of Professor. Enzo Boschi , president of the ' National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology . INGV is a research institution (established by Legislative Decree n. 381/1999 ) that, for some time, publish on its website the earthquake data , it is a rare (and clever) example of dissemination online public data.

As president of a public body would have been enlightened to be expected further acceleration of real policies Open Data , and instead, we learn that the ' Institute is considering to stop making public data on earthquakes to avoid "being misrepresented ".

I am sure that this is a provocation, but I think that this "threat" is totally incorrect, irrelevant and anachronistic, since it comes at a time when the world goes in the direction of releasing public data online, without any limitation and restriction (think www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com , the site created by the U.S. government to disseminate information on the environmental catastrophe that occurred in the Gulf of Mexico).

The reason given by prof. Woods is highly questionable, "given that the data used to reach conclusions different from ours, does not publish them anymore."

In a time when data is made public you can not prevent those who want to interpret it or redesigning and prof. Woods should be happy that the INGV web pages are visited, I am convinced, in fact, the circumstance that the public and the media are able to assess over time the reliability of different interpretations, distinguishing the true from the experts "Cassandre "and opportunists.
On the contrary, not to publish the data means to avoid any confrontation and do not have confidence in public opinion and citizens, as users not having to answer for but as subjects who do not deserve to be informed.

The statements of Prof.. Woods demonstrates, if anything, that the effective implementation of policies in our country for Open Government passes new rules requiring the institutions to release the data, otherwise, each Administration on the basis of the conveniences of the moment, might decide to deprive citizens of what must be recognized as a real good of life: access to public information.
An increasing number of countries that have decided to make a real law, and some, like Kenya , have even decided to put it in the Constitution.

If our legal system there was a similar provision, no one would think to keep in the drawer public data (acquired with money and interests of citizens).