Though David Eaves, co-founder of app maker ReCollect, has helped foster open data as a tool for both private enterprise and nonprofits, he has a passion for government's use of open data.

"There's just an enormous deficiency in just getting governments to share more effectively," Eaves said. "And that for me is the real promise -- to just get governments to work more effectively internally -- that we're just now starting to realize."

While Eaves considers open data a force for good, he does note its pitfalls, citing the practice of gerrymandering, or redrawing political districts for partisan gain, as an example.

"There's still an enormous responsibility that comes from society when this stuff gets made available," Eaves said.

Watch the video, from Socrata's Open Data TV, below:

(Image via phipatbig / Shutterstock.com)