[od-discuss] Open Data Buttons

[Mike Linksvayer]

On Thu, Mar 8, 2012 at 9:07 AM, Laura Newman <laura.newman at okfn.org> wrote:
> I have recently been asked what the precise legal situation is with our Open
> Data / Open Content / Open Knowledge buttons. Do they imply CC-BY? CC-BY-SA?
> Or are they non-specific?
>
> For example, if someone were to publish a CC-BY article and include an image
> with one of our buttons inserted in the bottom corner, what precisely would
> that mean? In what way would that be different from displaying a Creative
> Commons logo?

It would be meaningless, or nearly so (many people have said "this is
open" or similar without providing an actual license; I don't know
that reliance on such has ever been tested, perhaps because projects
that are important end up providing a license because enough people
tell them they need to...). This is one reason why CC has avoided or
suppressed offering various non-license logos (in particular one for
OER oft requested), and moved away from CC/"some rights reserved" to
specific license logos, because offering a specific license is what
matters.

Wherever the Open stuff buttons are offered should note that they must
be accompanied by offer of an OKD-compliant license, and that they do
not constitute license notice when using another's work under an
OKD-compliant license.

Mike