In a recent article, Sten Tikerpe addresses the increasing availability of public data in Estonia, which has become a topic of concern following a report by "Pealtnägija". This report revealed that some of the data accessible in the national building registry includes sensitive information such as internal views of homes and technical drawings of infrastructure owned by critical institutions. Tikerpe underscores that the issue extends beyond just privacy, touching on important security implications that arise from such disclosures in the public domain.

Estonian authorities have long pursued a mission to achieve high standards for the availability and quality of public sector data, aspiring to be among the leaders in Europe. This effort has reportedly yielded results, with Estonia ranking at the forefront of open data policy as indicated in the upcoming "Open Data Maturity Report" for 2024. Currently, the open data portal lists an impressive 5,697 datasets, showcasing the nation's commitment to transparency and informed governance.

However, Tikerpe points out that the concept of open data may not be immediately clear to the general public. Open data refers to information created and documented during the execution of public duties that lacks any access restrictions. While this commitment to transparency is commendable, the challenge lies in balancing accessibility with the protection of sensitive information, necessitating careful scrutiny of what gets published.