Apolitical launches digital government newsfeed on its platform for public servants

The policy platform Apolitical has launched its newsfeed on digital government. It brings together reporting on the most innovative work being done on the digital transformation of public services around the world. It also forms a global hub for connections between people working in that field, and aggregates high-quality pieces published on the subject elsewhere online.

  LONDON, UK - 05/31/2018 (PRESS RELEASE JET)

As Apolitical has covered government innovation from all over the world, time and time again we see public servants innovate through the use of technology, and hear the same questions about how to embrace it in their work. Finally we have launched a newsfeed specifically to cater to these public servants eager to disrupt government with technology.

The digital government newsfeed joins existing feeds on government innovation, gender equality and scaling social impact.

The newsfeed already features dozens of exclusive case studies, analyses and opinion pieces from all over the world. Recent pieces include scoop coverage of New Zealand’s attempts to write machine-readable legislation, an analysis of how Amsterdam and Barcelona are trying to give citizens control over which companies and agencies can use their data, and an opinion piece from one of the pioneers of the UK’s Government Digital Service.

Apolitical’s platform is free to join for people working in the public sector or related organisations such as NGOs or universities. Apolitical is undergoing registration as a B-Corp, a company working for the public good.

“The digital transformation of government could trigger an unprecedented leap forward in public services,” said Apolitical’s Media Director, Alex Starritt. “Things like open data, automation and sophisticated digital design of public services could make our hospitals, social care and transport systems radically smarter, more effective and cheaper. Lots of excellent work is being done on this around the world – it just needs to get in front of people who can use it.”

“We hear from public servants and policymakers around the world about the need to connect with others who are working on the same problems,” said Apolitical co-founder and Executive Chairman Lisa Witter. “Apolitical puts the best solutions and the connections they need at the fingertips of public servants, wherever they are in the world.”

Apolitical’s writing on digital government is overseen by its own reporters and editors. But it also draws on the expertise of an eminent editorial board, whose members are:
 

• Neil Hoorn Open Data Project Manager, Cape Town, South Africa

• Natalia Adler, Policy Manager, UNICEF

• Stefaan Verhulst Co-Founder and Chief Research and Development Officer of the Governance Laboratory

• Linet Kwamboka Founder and CEO of DataScience LTD

• Ania Calderon, Executive Director, Open Data Charter

• Sarah Telford, Chief of Data Services at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

• Anna Scott, Head of Content, Open Data Institute

Apolitical’s unique platform, used by public servants in more than 120 countries, connects public servants to colleagues and experts elsewhere – breaking down institutional silos and aiding engagement and collaboration.

The digital government newsfeed has been created with generous assistance and support of the Open Data Institute and GovLab. Apolitical’s other partners include the governments of the UK, Canada and the UAE as well as public agencies in the US, Japan and Australia, along with intergovernmental organisations like the OECD and the European Union.