Data mining on the cheap
This is old skool data mining.
In the UK, the Guardian Newspaper put 700,000 documents of MPs’ expenses online for review. Rather than employing text analysis software, the Guardian is relying on humans to read, decipher, and flag suspicious spending for further review. As of 5 am (MT) 80% of the documents were reviewed.
Nothing like the possibility of salacious or euphemistic mis-classification of dubious expenses to fire up the inquisitive nature of the common man.
I can’t help but wonder what this type of forensic illumination this may bring to the democratic process. How would MPs or members of Congress spend and behave if they knew the public might scrutinize line by line every reported expense? Would there be more accountability or would this lead to more creative methods by lobbying firms to buy influence?
Perhaps both.
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