State Council releases government data sharing regulations
On June 3, the State Council released the Government Data Sharing Regulations.
- This set of boring-sounding rules will help realize China’s digital government and data economy vision.
Quick background: Data silos – where useful information is locked away in departments – are a massive problem for governments everywhere, and China is no exception.
- China’s 2021 Data Security Law (DSL) mandated government data openness and a standardized data sharing system to tackle this issue.
- To encourage data sharing, the government began building out a National Unified Government Data System in 2022.
The new regs require government departments at all levels to participate in the centralized data sharing system. And they require departments to:
- Establish teams specifically responsible for data sharing
- Compile departmental data catalogs, and submit data catalogs into a national unified data directory
- Actively respond to data requests from other departments
Sharing will not be limitless. In addition to broadly following data security rules, departments will need to rate each data catalogue entry as “shareable,” “shareable with conditions,” or “not shareable.”
- They can also deny data requests – although they need to provide written reasons.
Get smart: The system is attempting to solve bureaucracy with more bureaucracy – and it just might work to help solve the data silo problem.
- Departments will get to keep control over their data, but need to justify any stinginess.
Get smarter: Government data sharing rules have taken on greater import in the AI age, when access to data is a key determinant of efficiency and national competitiveness.