[okfn-discuss] should crowdsourced map data be open?

Fri Apr 3 14:22:45 UTC 2015

I'd broadly agree with Puneet.

It would be wise to: 

* make clear in the T&Cs that crowdsourcing contributors are making their contributions public domain (even attributions can be messy for large numbers)
* makes clear in the T&Cs that contributors are warranting that they are not using material for which third parties own IPRs. On geospatial see for instance [1].
* license the crowdsourced collection (which may have sui generis database rights in jurisdictions  where such rigs exist) under an open licence which respects the contributors.

Regards

Andrew 

[1] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trap_street

On 3 Apr 2015, at 15:00, punk.kish at gmail.com wrote:

> On Apr 3, 2015, at 1:31 AM, FENG GAO <gaofeng860918 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> There are many crowdsourcing map platform help individuals and organizations  create a map and crowdsource data (such as where is the toilets/parks). I'd like to ask your opinion:
> 
> 1) should such crowdsourced data be open to anyone for download and reuse?

Yes

> 2) any existing crowdsourcing map platform allows anyone to download map data by default?

Yes

> 3) under what circumstance do you think it's fine to make the map only downloadable
> by the map owner/creator ( but the map is still publicly accessible by anyone )

Can’t think of any, as no good purpose is served by showing (which is what I assume you mean by “publicly accessible by anyone”) but restricting download. That said, what to do with the data is and should be always the prerogative of the creator(s) which, in this case, would happen to be the entire crowd, the source. They just don’t call it *open* if they restrict it in any way.

—
Puneet Kishor
Just Another Creative Commoner

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