Last week, eBay Inc., along with the Internet Association and other Internet companies, hosted Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Mark Doms to discuss the Commerce Department’s Data Strategic Plan. The Data Strategic Plan, released earlier this year by Commerce Secretary Pritzker, pledges to “improve government, business, and community decisions and knowledge by transforming Department data capabilities and supporting a data-enabled economy.” According to the Department of Commerce, the initiative is designed to “make our data accessible in ways that make our businesses more competitive, our governments smarter, and our citizens more informed.”

During the roundtable, Secretary Doms and the industry representatives discussed a number of important topics, such as the need for a better accounting of trade in digital goods and services data and the importance of providing an accurate measurement of the economic benefits derived from companies operating in the exploding information economy.

eBay Inc. looks forward to working with Under Secretary Doms, the Department of Commerce and our fellow Internet companies on the Data Strategic Plan going forward.