The British government hopped aboard the big data bandwagon this week with a new initiative that’s bent on making the U.K. a better place by sharing information collected by the different agencies. The full details are covered in this white paper, and over 9,000 datasets  have been released so far, spanning health, transport, crime and many other areas.

“Today we’re at a pivotal moment – where we consider the rules and ways of working in a data-rich world and how we can use this resource effectively, creatively and responsibly,” said Cabinet Office Minister Francis   Maude. “This White Paper sets out clearly how the UK will continue to unlock and seize the benefits of data sharing in the future in a responsible way.”

This push extends beyond just making raw statics available to the public. Already many agencies released Open Data Strategies that elaborate on their plans to make use of all that information – the part of the initiative that aims to cement their commitment to the massive project.

Back in the U.S. the Obama administration announced massive investments to achieve similar data-driven advancements back in 2011, so the U.K is not the first government that started catching up with the private sector in this area. It’s also not the first to start sharing its information stash with the public in an effort to realize value on a national level, and there are several things to take into consideration here.

One big concern will be making sure that none of these 9,000 datasets, as well as future ones yet to be released, violates civil privacy laws. And historical data shouldn’t be left out of the loop either, if we go by the word of MCIC’s Virginia Carlson.

In a Cube interview Carlson discussed the very important role that government archives play in the growth of the businesses her organization serves. According to her, initiatives such as this latest one in the U.K unwisely focus on operational data rather than the valuable historical logs that can be of use on lower levels as well.