Why you should apply a license to your data

Data Licensing

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Why should I apply a license to my data?

Licenses allow your data to be shared and re-used under flexible, legally sound terms.

Licensing your data reduces uncertainty and ambiguity– it lets potential users know how it can be re-used, mined, combined, broken-up, or re-distributed.

Licenses created by Creative Commons (CC), GNU, Open Source Initiative (OSI) and Open Data Commons (ODC) allow you to easily manage the terms that automatically attach to creative works under copyright, and to data.

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Can I copyright my data?

Data is not subject to copyright. Certain aspects of databases are: the database model, data entry and output sheets, field names, and data contents if ‘sufficiently’ creative.

Licenses allow you to specify the ‘terms-of-use’ for your data. They allow potential users to know up front if their intended use is ok.

Different content require different licenses. Data must be licensed differently than copyrighted content, though some data formats are copyrightable, such as images, drawings, tables, charts, audio & video files, etc.

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Evaluate your data

•Did IRB impose any constraints?

•Is it HIPPA controlled PHI?

•Is it FERPA regulated student educational records or information?

•Is it data subject to export controls?

•Is it ‘sensitive data’ controlled by other federal, state, or UVa legal requirements or policies?

•Is it research data subject to sponsor, institution or lab controls?

•Can my data be anonymized?

•Does my data sharing repository require a particular license for all data submitted for deposit?

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Which license should I use?

•What type of data formats do I wish to license: code, scripts, computer programs, drawings, images, audio files, video files, spreadsheets, etc.?

•Do I want to receive attribution for my data?

•Do I want others to be able to reuse my data?

•Do I want others to be able to build upon my data?

•Do I want to allow others to use my data for commercial purposes?

•Do I want to put my data in the public domain: no restrictions or attribution ?

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What License to ApplyOpen Source licenses for data:

Creative Commons: CC-BY, CC-BY-SA, etc.http://tinyurl.com/nxsd6k8

Open Source licenses for software, programs, scripts, code, fonts:The GNU General Public License (GPL) v.3 is the most commonly used license for software packages. http://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html

Things to consider when choosing a license:Type of dataRe-useCommercial UseAttribution

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• The UVa Library Research Data Services provides consulting and training services to UVA researchers and graduate students in all aspects of research data management.

• We can help you navigate and negotiate through the tricky issues and many approvals in order to responsibly share your research data.

• Contact us at dmconsult@virginia.edu

Need assistance or have questions?