Open Data and the Law: ISWC 2009

Open Data & the law
ISWC 2009
Jordan S. Hatcher, JD, LLM

Co-founder, Open Data Commons
Board of Directors, Open Knowledge Foundation
Lawyer and strategy consultant in IP/IT

Monday, 26 October 2009 1

Open Knowledge Foundation
http://www.okfn.org


We promote open knowledge


http://www.okfn.org/projects

Key points:

1. Legal rights can cover data & databases
2. Legal rights require legal solutions
3. Legal solutions for open data exist


A few questions before we get started....


What do you mean by data?


Have you ever used an open source license?


Have you ever used a CC license?


Key points:



•Why we care – (importance of data)
•Basics of IP
•How copyright applies to databases


Search


You’re
low on
Milk It’s already
been ordered

...and I ordered
skim this time


Linked Data A2K Science


More data allows cooler stuff


(contract)

IP and other rights


trademarks ®™


trade secrets


patent


pipe smoking detective who likes to use reason


Copyright: original works ﬁxed in a tangible medium
of expression


original as not copied


“It would be a dangerous undertaking for persons
trained only to the law to constitute themselves
ﬁnal judges of the worth of pictorial illustrations…”

Bleistein v Donaldson Lithographic, 188 U.S.
239, 251 (1903).


facts as not original


but some jurisdictions lean towards a
“sweat of the brow” approach for originality
i.e., they use copyright law to protect the effort that
went into collecting those facts


Copyright ﬂows from the pen to the paper


Copyright - exclusive rights granted

• Reproduce the work (make copies);

• Distribute the work to the public;

• Rent or lend the work to the public;

• Publicly perform the work;

• Broadcast the work or include it in a cable television service; and

• Adapt the work or to do any of the above with an adaptation of the work.


No access without
(permission culture)
permission

1. Notice not required

2. No registration required

3. No single international
Copyright copyright system
Mythbusting
4. Not absolute - there are
exceptions (Fair use)

5. Noncommercial use isn’t
a free pass


3 key points about ©


Films Performances

Music letters to gran
Web sites

Sculpture
Buildings
databases Novels
Photographs
Plays
Dance
Computer Programs
broadcasts


Facts


No access without
permission

Licensing giving permission


1. Covers a lot of stuff

2. Doesn’t cover facts, but
Copyright collections of facts gets
key points tricky

3. Licensing is how you get
permission


Crash course in IP and DB’s


Privacy vs Property


(contract)

IP and


database:
a collection of material arranged in a systematic or
methodical way and individually accessible by
electronic or other means


1. Content inside the

©
database

2. Database itself

3. Database software


Database Rights


1. EU Directive (and EU
only)
Database
Rights 2. Automatic protection

3. Overlap w/ ©


1. Content inside the
Database database
Rights
2. Database itself


contract


Other IP rights


TPMs – legal protection for digital locks on ©ontent
Trademarks – like any other product
Trade secret – like any other company information


Key points:

(& why we care)


Importance of data
+
Legal rights over data
=
Need for a legal solution


• automatic

©
• worldwide
• covers databases
• life+70
• no notice required


No access without
permission

Options

1. Ask for a licence.

2. Use under an
exception (fair use or
fair dealing).

3. Infringe

4. Use something else


Options

1. Ask for a licence.

2. Use under an exception
(fair dealing such as
criticism or private study).

3. Infringe

4. Use something else


1.What is “open”?
2.What is open data?
Baseline 3.What is Share-Alike?
4.What is open
licensing


Open Deﬁned opendeﬁnition.org


• Use

• Reuse
“open” • Redistribute

• Attribution & Share Alike
okay

http://www.opendeﬁnition.org/buttons


Open data is the application of many the same
principles and philosophies as free and open
source software and open content projects such
as Creative Commons to data and databases.


Share Alike


CC Licence Elements

• Attribution (BY): The work is made available to the public with the
baseline rights, but only if the author receives proper credit.

• NonCommercial (NC): The work can be copied, displayed and
distributed by the public, but only if these actions are for non-
commercial purposes.

• No Derivative works (ND): This licence grants baseline rights, but it
does not allow derivative works to be created from the original.

• Share-Alike (SA): Derivative works can be created and distributed
based on the original, but only if the same type of licence is used –
reciprocal licensing.


Open licensing How you use it...


Consumer of content
Finding stuff (software,
content, databases)


• making your IP management easier

• lowering your risks


Producer of content
Releasing your stuff


data

(and remix)

Pirates or partners? You decide...


Approaches to p2p

• No rights reserved - Public
domain

• Some rights reserved -
open licensing

• All rights reserved - Soft
enforcement

• All rights reserved - Heavy
enforcement

(and remix)


Key points:

(& why we care)


• open data commons origins
• how the open data commons tools
work


OpenDataCommons - origins


Talis http://www.talis.com/


Importance of data
+
Legal rights over data
=
Need for a legal solution


OpenDataCommons.org
Legal tools for Open Data

2007 → Talis → Open Knowledge Foundation


Why start a licensing project?


?
Software Content Data


Open
Data

Diffusion of Innovations / Technology Adoption Curve


GPL, FSF, OSI, BSD... = software
Creative Commons... = content
Data is different from
software and content
both legally
and in what you do with it


• No Public Domain tool for
Open databases existed
Data • Demand for a share alike
Commons database license & CC
seen as poor ﬁt


Why CC-BY-SA is a poor ﬁt.


CC-BY-SA (2.0 Generic/US)
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode

• Not all relevant rights
licensed
Legal
• Not consistent b/w
international licenses


• Attribution trigger broad
and unclear

• Share Alike unclear when
Practical combining with other
work (collective works)

• Doesn’t address SaaS


“Creative Commons does not recommend
using Creative Commons licenses for
informational databases”

Source: http://sciencecommons.org/resources/faq/databases


Open Data Commons:
Legal tools


Open Data Commons
Legal tools:

• Public Domain Dedication and License (PDDL)
• Open Database License (ODbL)
• Database Contents License (DbCL)


Who is using and proposing to use Open Data Commons tools...


Common approach to ODC tools


Worldwide application

The party of the ﬁrst part ("you") agree with the party of the second part ("the
presenter") that by hereby reading this terms conditions warranties disclaimer and
waiver of liability that you disclaim any and all liability for anything whatsoever from
now to the end of eternity in this universe or any parallel dimension or universe
whether or not accessible via a wormhole by using a sun's gravitational pull on the
part of the presenter and furthermore agree forthwith not to throw tomatoes or any
other object (paper money excluded) at the presenter throughout the entirety of any
Human readable license
and all presentations now known or hereafter created and that this presentation
creates no licence, permission, contract, property rights, or claim in any court
(temporal or spiritual) for you to actually view, watch, read, or otherwise mentally
digest its contents though you are invited to do so only on the above-referenced
terms and that if you have been sent this presentation by mistake you must destroy,
delete, or demolish the ﬁle for to not do so would cause disaster and/or chaos on the
part of the party of the second part.


Open Database License (ODbL)


ODbL =

<http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/>


(contract)

(contract)

ODbL trifecta


1. Database (ODbL)
Elements 2. Contents
3. “Produced Work” (ODbL)


Database Contents License
(DbCL)


Contents (the “data”) can be anything:
facts, ages, dates, sonnets, images, text
observation notes, IP addresses, postal addresses
haiku, tweets, telephone numbers, income level, NI number
survey responses, music lyrics, ﬁlm cast listings, patent numbers,
ﬁling dates, marital status, racial information, education level
and on and on and on...


Contents of the database will be in a spectrum:

Some will clearly have ©
Some will arguably have ©
Some will not have © (particularly facts)
(many databases of factual information will still contain © contents)


1. Database – ODbL

Elements 2. Contents – DbCL

3. “Produced Work” –
ODbL +DbCL


Public Domain Dedication &
License (PDDL)


Protocol for Implementing Open Access Data
http://sciencecommons.org/projects/publishing/open-access-data-protocol/


3.1 The protocol must promote legal predictability and certainty.

3.2 The protocol must be easy to use and understand.

3.3 The protocol must impose the lowest possible transaction costs on users.


PDDL

http://www.opendatacommons.org/licenses/pddl/1.0/

PDDL + Community Norms

PDDL

http://www.opendatacommons.org/norms/


<http://www.legalbluebook.com>

Key points:

(& why we care)


Closing thoughts


Identify the risks
What are the risks for your activities?
____________________________________
• Risk Avoidance – Pick what you do.
• Risk Reduction – Find ways to reduce the
liability on what you do.
• Risk Acceptance – Deﬁne your level of
acceptable risk and go ahead.
• Risk Transfer – Share the risks – Insurance for
example.


OpenDataCommons
Protocol for implementing open access data

ODbL PDDL


Collecting data is hard...


Thank you to Talis, OSM community, ODC-discuss
list, commenters, Science Commons, & OKFN for
feedback and support!


How you can help:
• Volunteer to help bring open data to your
community as a Community Contact.
• Support the OKFN.
• Join the OKF discuss list.
• Feedback. Have an idea how we can help or
what we should be doing? Let us know.


Thanks!

www.OpenDataCommons.org
www.okfn.org/support

Jordan S. Hatcher

e: webcontact ]AT[ opencontentlawyer D O T com
w: www.jordanhatcher.com

All original and CC-BY-SA derivative works licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 UK: Scotland Licence
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/scotland/


Questions?


Richard Stallman (public domain)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_-_Denmark_DTU_2007-3-31.jpg

Larry Lessig – Lessig portrait by Notwist CC-BY 2.0
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lessig_portrait.jpg
Crop of Lawrence Lessig freesouls hero.jpg
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lawrence_Lessig_freesouls_hero.jpg

Unlocked "open access" symbol" from PLOS http://www.plos.org/
CC-BY-SA 3.0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_white.svg

Spacelab, Laboratory Module
by cliff1066 CC-BY 2.0
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/2911393890/

The original Tux, the official Linux mascot created by Larry Ewing in 1996: Permission to use and/or modify this image is granted
provided you acknowledge lewing@isc.tamu.edu and The GIMP if someone asks.

two hats talking to each other by sleepyneko CC-BY-SA
http://flickr.com/photos/ejchang/558997184/

Copyleft symbol
Public domain
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Copyleft.svg

Edinburgh Map
Map data CC-BY-SA Open Street Map and contributors

Desert Moon Rising by Josh Sommers CC-BY
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joshsommers/935470210/

OpenStreetMap - Coastlines by PeterIto
CC-BY-SA http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterito/3120509512/

097/365: Sunken Treasures by dotbenjamin CC-BY-SA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotbenjamin/2862947932/

Europe by Albertane CC-BY-SA
http://www.flickr.com/photos/albertane/120077777/


Long tail.svg (Public Domain)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Long_tail.svg
Picture by Hay Kranen http://www.haykranen.com/

Keys 1
CC-BY by ~Brenda Starr~
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brenda-starr/3466560105/

old refrigerator
CC-BY by G & A Sattler
http://www.flickr.com/photos/9512074@N02/2149128060/

Earth from the International Space Station
Image Science and Analysis Laboratory, NASA-Johnson Space Center. "The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth." <http://
eol.jsc.nasa.gov/scripts/sseop/photo.pl?mission=ISS007&roll=E&frame=7304>

Catalogue cards
CC-BY by by Deborah Fitchett
http://www.flickr.com/photos/deborahfitchett/2970373235/

Linked Data diagram
CC-BY-SA
http://esw.w3.org/topic/SweoIG/TaskForces/CommunityProjects/LinkingOpenData#dbpedia-lod-cloud

IMGP0809
CC-BY by mikefats
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikefats/11545170/
(shelf of products)

Safe lock
CC-BY by Marcin Wichary
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/2647981973/

Lume (lightbulb)
CC-BY by johnmarchan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmarchan/3877166306/


Lightbulb
CC-BY by James Bowe
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesrbowe/3338776771/
(lightbulb big)

Sherlock Holmes
Public Domain
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SherlockHolmes.jpg

dan mixtape
CC-BY-SA by jm3
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jm3/355212032/

Lake Havasu City Phonebook
CC-BY by .Larry Page
http://www.flickr.com/photos/igboo/3235239775/

Sponsored by Amdocs - Yellow print directory
CC-BY-SA by by avlxyz
http://www.flickr.com/photos/avlxyz/3082373502/

Walt Disney's grave, Forest Lawn, Glendale, Los Angeles, CA.JPG
CC-BY-SA by gruntzooki (cory doctorow)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/doctorow/1149004046/

"You're Going to Need a Hard Hat to Live There"
CC-BY-SA by Rob Shenk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcsj/3194835693/

Handshake
CC-BY-SA by Aidan Jones
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aidan_jones/3575000735/
(hand drawing)

PlaGiaRisM by Digirebelle® CC-BY
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ad4evr/2128607/


Question mark and arrow
CC-BY laurkgibbs
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38299630@N05/3635356091/

Court Gavel
CC-BY-SA by Jonathunder http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Jonathunder
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CourtGavel.JPG

The Elect. Not the elected.
CC-BY-SA by Steve Punter
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spunter/2907555506/

Bibilios.net screenshot
See https://biblios.net/

An empty tin can.by Sun Ladder, CC-BY-SA
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Empty_tin_can2009-01-19.jpg

Ground Crew: KellyK CC-BY-SA (cropped)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/elasticsoul/162457691/

Don’t Panic Badge - CC-BY by JL2003 and at http://www.flickr.com/photos/brighton/2153602543/ (button from 1984 computer game
version of Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

No Unauthorised Access sign
Health and Safety Executive (UK)
http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/images/prohibition-unauth-2.gif

The Bluebook cover - The Bluebook is © The Columbia Law Review Association Inc., The Harvard Law Review Association, the
University of Pennsylvania Law Review, The Yale Law Journal Company, Inc,
Source: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bluebook_18th_ed_Cover.gif>

All other trademarks are copyright / trademark their respective owners. Some works may appear here under exceptions or exclusions
to copyright and trademark law such as fair use / fair dealing and are not covered by the CC license over this work and these
exclusions or exceptions may not apply to you.


Thanks!

www.OpenDataCommons.org
www.okfn.org/support

Jordan S. Hatcher

e: webcontact ]AT[ opencontentlawyer D O T com
w: www.jordanhatcher.com

All original and CC-BY-SA derivative works licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 UK: Scotland Licence
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/scotland/


Questions?


Open Data and the Law: ISWC 2009

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