ABSTRACT
The idea of a knowledge society is still under-theorised and under-researched. Although there has been some debate on the subject within academic and policy circles, little theoretical and conceptual development has gone beyond the analysis of an information society. Debates on what comprises a knowledge society raise questions about how ‘knowledge’ is understood in contemporary society, how can it be shared and what values should underpin a knowledge society. The movement towards making data open in society is part of the wider debate about and how knowledge is shared at a society-wide level. The work of groups and movements that are championing open data reveal a set of underlying values beneath the drive for change, whilst simultaneously developing ecosystems and practices that will enable data to be made open. A principal question is whether the current activities and associated values pushing for change to implement open data are sufficient to support a transformation to a knowledge society.
