Utilize your financial knowledge, give your answer or opinion to the input question or subject . Answer format is not limited.

Do algorithmic trading platforms typically have live-data access to stock data?
Yes, Interactive Brokers is a good source for live data feeds and they have an API which is used to programmatically access the feeds, you will have to pay for data feeds from the individual data sources though.  The stock exchanges have a very high price for their data and this has stifled innovation in the financial sector for several decades in the united states. But at the same time, it has inflated the value and mystique of "quants" doing simple algorithms "that execute within milliseconds" for banks and funds.  Also RIZM has live feeds, it is a younger service than other exchanges but helps people tap into any online broker's feeds and let you trade your custom algorithms that way, that is their goal.