Data that is collected, produced, reproduced, processed, disseminated, or controlled by the public sector bodies in many areas of their activity while accomplishing their institutional tasks.  The work of government involves collecting huge amounts of data, much of which is not confidential (economic data, demographic data, spending data, crime data, transport data, etc). The value of much of this data can be greatly enhanced by releasing it as open data, freeing it for re-use by business, research, civil society, data journalists, etc.

Sources: ODH, US OD