Did you know that the government can track potholes using smartphone technology? This is just one way local governments are taking advantage of the enormous amount of data collected and supplied through open data.

But according to a panel of experts at the Data Innovation Day session "Open Data, Civic Hacking, and Data-Driven Government," there are plenty of other ways civic entities are using data.

President Barack Obama believes that data is a national asset. However, is there a difference between the way federal and local governments approach the topic of open data and data-driven government?

According to Maksim Pecherskiy, chief data officer for the City of San Diego, Project Open Data and Data.gov are two great examples of the federal government's open-data initiative. But outside of those projects and the U.S. Census, local governments seem to be doing more with data than the federal government.

"Every place is so different — the way the culture works, the way the people are, the population, demographics there's just so many different factors that are so hyperlocal that I think that is why you see more interest in things that are [local]," Pecherskiy said.

It's hard to believe that less than a decade ago, we did not have the ability to collect such large amounts of data and put it to good use. However, Cameron Kerry, distinguished visiting fellow at Brookings, believes that the general public has just recently recognized the value of data.

This has been made apparent by government actions at all levels. The U.S. Department of Commerce recently appointed its first chief data officer. The City of Boston created a data hub and is working with MIT on a data challenge. These are just two of many examples that show the value of data has been recognized, and local and federal agencies are taking action.

The initial results of open data, civic hacking and data-driven governments are not perfect. However, the possibilities are endless, and progress is being made. The progress can be seen easily when comparing the United States to other countries.

"When it comes to American data, we are in great shape ... better loans, build things more effectively or whatever," said Michael Flowers, urban science fellow for the Center for Urban Science and Progress. "When you start going out to other countries, you start seeing the dearth of that information and how hamstrung those countries really are by not releasing that information, making it available to people to ingest, and use and act on."

From helping economic development agencies in Puerto Rico become more efficient and effective to boosting the economy of a developing nation in Africa, open data, civic hacking and data-driven government are changing the world.

And not just for financial gain. For humanitarian purposes, as well. From tracking potholes to tracking Ebola, the data collected is helping citizens and governments on a daily basis.

The negative side to open data is the ability for individuals to use it for evil. According to Kerry, one of the struggles with open data is making it available but, at the same time, ensuring that it's not used for the wrong purposes.

"Injecting transparency into anything is going to improve decision-making process," Flowers said.

Still, the benefits seem to outweigh the negatives. Open data, civic hacking and data-driven governments are allowing for improved decision-making because of the ability to access any information at any time. It's truly changing the world.