BuzzData is a recently launched social network where users can publish, discuss, share and play with data.

Currently still in beta phase, BuzzData describes itself not as an open source data website, but as a social network designed for data.

“There’s a lack of communal social behaviour around data, even though it’s something that everyone is saying is really popular,” says CTO and co-founder Pete Forde. “There is a growing critical mass of people working with data that come from different backgrounds and skill sets; there’s a decided lack of a place for people to actually go and collaborate and communicate and discuss and share data sets.”

BuzzData users can upload their own data and find collaborators if needed. The can follow people, topics or data sets they come across, as well as engage in conversations.

BuzzData co-founder Pete Forde interviewed at Strata 2011

If users have a new version of a data set, they are invited to upload the new set, while the history function allows continued access to older data. BuzzData will even track down data suggestions from users to get the publisher of the data on board at BuzzData.

Once users find the data set that they are interested in, they can see the data set, related articles or visualisations and the list of followers. More active users can download the data set and play around with it, mash it with other data sets, or clone the entire post and edit it while showing the changes being made.

As the website is in startup phase, more possibilities will be opening up in the near future. Stay updated through the BuzzData blog.

BuzzData demo video

Published: September 1, 2011