[okfn-za] [HacksHackers Cape Town] Please Sue Me

Adi Eyal adi at burgercom.co.za
Tue Apr 30 16:57:58 UTC 2013


You can never have too many cheerleaders.  :)

Adi
On 30 Apr 2013 6:55 PM, "Janice Winter" <janicelwinter at gmail.com> wrote:

> I'd be a super keen project cheerleader :)
>
>
> On 30 April 2013 16:31, Adi Eyal <adi at burgercom.co.za> wrote:
>
>> Thanks Niki
>>
>> Actually, programming is just one of the many skills that are
>> required. We need the following (in no particular order):
>>
>> 1. Scrapers (there are some tools that can help non-programmers scrape
>> simple data)
>> 2. Identification of worthwhile datasets
>> 3. General project cheerleaders
>> 4. Legal opinions would be welcome
>> 5. Discussions around data availability. The more we discuss this
>> amongst ourselves and in other public spaces, the more it because a
>> real issue.
>> 6. Possibly a bunch more - we'll figure it out as we go along.
>>
>> The bottom line is - don't exclude yourself if you're not a coder.
>> There are other dimensions to this problem.
>>
>> A nice side-effect of this project is that we can start putting
>> together an data census in South Africa. What data is available and
>> where.
>>
>> Adi
>>
>> On 30 April 2013 15:24, Niki Moore <nikimoore007 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > I really wish I could help you, but not being a hacker myself I wouldn't
>> > know where to start.  However, what I am very happy to do is take some
>> of
>> > the hacked stuff and point out how useless it is in the first place...
>> for
>> > instance, the DSD database of NGOs is five years out of date, and 90% of
>> > their records are wrong.  One of the biggest problems on the property
>> roll
>> > is that it is inaccurate.  I could go on.....
>> >
>> > Maybe one of the reasons why the government is so protective of their
>> > information is because they know that most of it is useless for
>> purposes of
>> > governance.  So - perhaps a side angle would be that it is important
>> for the
>> > public to have access to this information so that they can check that
>> it is
>> > correct!
>> >
>> > N
>> >
>> >
>> > On Tue, Apr 30, 2013 at 3:09 PM, Adi Eyal <adi at burgercom.co.za> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Some of you may have read an article that I posted recently on the
>> >> OKFN mailing list and on the Daily Maverick with regards to the
>> >> openness of government data in South Africa.
>> >>
>> >> In that article, I described an exercise that I undertook to gain
>> >> commercial access to that data. I have had very few responses, all of
>> >> which expressly forbid commercial use.
>> >>
>> >> As per the Copyright Act, I am not certain that most of this data
>> >> qualifies for copyright protection as it usually contains a database
>> >> of facts where no innovative process was used to produce said data. On
>> >> the moral front, it seems absurd that data produced using public funds
>> >> should be restricted in such a way. In an ideal world an open data
>> >> licence would be attached to all government data allowing for re-use
>> >> without permission or restriction. Please see an excerpt from a
>> >> comment that I received from the legal advisor to parliament:
>> >>
>> >> "Should you wish to request permission or a licence to use information
>> >> on our webpage for commercial gain, I suggest you indicate the item
>> >> you want to use and the specific purpose for its use to allow us to
>> >> make an informed decision. "
>> >>
>> >> I it is unacceptable to be required to request permission to re-use a
>> >> list of MPs listed on www.parliament.gov.za
>> >>
>> >> I would like to propose a provocative response that will hopefully
>> >> spark a conversation (and despite the codename, not get me sued).
>> >> Volunteers and comments and criticisms welcome.
>> >>
>> >> The idea is as follows:
>> >>
>> >> 1. Build a website registered at www.pleasesueme.co.za
>> >> 2. Scrape a bunch of data from government website, stuff that seems to
>> >> not be copyrightable
>> >> 3. Upload it to the website and offer it up for sale for a nominal
>> >> fee. It needs to be sold so as to assert a right for general re-use.
>> >> Sold data will be re-released under an open licence.
>> >>
>> >> The money (i expect very little data to be actually sold) will be used
>> >> to fund a war-chest (however small) for a legal defense if it comes to
>> >> that. My gut feeling is that we won't get any response at all but by
>> >> being provocative, we might get people thinking about why it might be
>> >> important to push open data licences within government. We might get a
>> >> take-down notice which would be evaluated based on merit. I can't
>> >> imagine (though I am not a lawyer) that any public agency has the
>> >> time, money or wherewithal to take this to court.
>> >>
>> >> Any responses, including flames about how I'm being naive or that
>> >> antagonism is not the correct approach are welcome.
>> >>
>> >> Adi
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Adi Eyal
>> >> Data Specialist
>> >> phone: +27 78 014 2469
>> >> skype: adieyalcas
>> >> linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
>> >>
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>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
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>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Adi Eyal
>> Data Specialist
>> phone: +27 78 014 2469
>> skype: adieyalcas
>> linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
>>
>> --
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>>
>>
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