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1title: We need accessible platforms and open licenses for our data!
2date: 2013-02-06 23:26:00
3updated: 2013-02-09 14:20:30
4author: 46halbe
5tags: update, pressemitteilung, open data
6
7Joint statement: Finally setting the standard to “open”!
8
9<!-- TEASER_END -->
10
11On August 8th, 2012, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior
12announced its intention to build an open government data portal to make
13national information and data freely available for use by citizens.
14
15Up until now, a lot of the relevant datasets have still not been made
16available or at least are not released under an open license. The German
17open data and open government community (here undersigned) [put together
18a (sample-)list of relevant
19datasets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AplklDf0nYxWdEx1RGJJX3hnVHl5VzRvWGMwZjMyaHc&usp=sharing&authkey=CPaKlO0N#gid=0)
20that we are requesting to be released in accordance with the [Open
21Definition](http://opendefinition.org/). As it stands right now, the
22community fears a watering down of the open government idea may be the
23only effect of the platform. \[3\]
24
25**In an open letter, representatives of the German Open Data community
26outline why the federal data platform (govdata.de) is not acceptable in
27its currently planned form.**
28
29The reasons for our current criticism are as follows:
30
31The [chosen license
32model](https://github.com/fraunhoferfokus/ogd-metadata/tree/master/lizenzen)
33\[4\] for the portal is a custom solution that does not conform
34to [internationally recognized standards](http://opendefinition.org/)
35\[5\]. The portal, as seen so far, is lacking provisions for usability
36and security. Furthermore, there are no visible efforts to motivate
37users to reuse the data provided.
38
39**The custom licence model cuts Germany off from the open data pool**
40
41Major problems with applying a custom license to the data in question is
42that unfamiliarity with a new license discourages reuse, as developers
43and users must seek additional advice before risking to work with the
44data. Moreover, the most interesting and useful applications developed
45with open data often require data from numerous sources to be combined –
46this is why interoperability (such as is possible between some of the
47approved open licenses listed above) is so important.
48
49**What needs to happen?**
50
51The success of the platform and the entire open government data strategy
52of Germany depends on the publication of government data that is truly
53open. The current approach risks devaluing the concept of open
54government.
55
56This is why we are making the following requests from www.govdata.de:
57
581. Data should be made accessible according to the [ten
59 principles](http://sunlightfoundation.com/policy/documents/ten-open-data-principles/)
60 of open data;
612. Recognition and adherence to true open government (data) and [open
62 and explicit licences](http://opendefinition.org/);
633. Data should be open by default and closed only in justified
64 exceptions;
654. Civil law standard licensing instead of administrative law terms of
66 use and abandonment of legal control over single datasets;
675. The release of relevant and meaningful major datasets, rather than
68 unimportant information;
696. Marketing of the platform as the central repository for public data
70 in the country and communication of its importance and activity;
717. Establishment of a central and authoritative clearing house for data
72 with authority to reprimand institutions if necessary.
73
74**Government data means that administrations govern it, not that they
75own it.**
76
77Opening government data will only be a success if unrestricted use is
78possible and actively encouraged. The platform should have model
79character and win support of all actors, including those possibly
80reusing the data. This is only possible by reaching an advanced state in
81usability, interfaces, security, accessability and openness. In its
82current state, the platform is far from these goals which is why the
83“community” cannot in good faith put its support behind it yet.
84
85Representatives of the “German Open Data Community”
86
87 
88
89**Initial Signers**:
90
91Daniel Dietrich, Open Knowledge Foudation Deutschland e. V.,
92Vorstandsvorsitzender
93
94Daniel Lentfer, Mitinitiator des Hamburgischen Transparenzgesetzes
95
96Mathias Schindler, Wikimedia Deutschland e. V.
97
98Boris Hekele, abgeordnetenwatch.de/Parlamentwatch e. V., Mitgründer
99
100Lavinia Steiner, Digitale Gesellschaft e. V., stellvertretende
101Vorstandsvorsitzende
102
103Markus Beckedahl, netzpolitik.org
104
105Christian Heise, Initiative e-demokratie.org, Open Knowledge Foundation
106Deutschland e. V.
107
108Christian Horchert, Open Data Network e. V., stellvertretender
109Vorstandsvorsitzender
110
111Sören Auer, Koordinator des EU-Forschungsprojektes zu Linked Open Data
112LOD2
113
114Michael Hirdes, Chaos Computer Club e. V.
115
116Holger Drewes, opendata-showroom.org
117
118 
119
120**Please sign!**
121
122<http://not-your-govdata.de/>
123
124 
125
126**Links**:
127
128\[1\] Feb, 4th 2013: Open Gov Germany: [German government screws up open
129data](http://opengovgermany.com/2013/02/04/german-government-screws-up-open-data/)
130
131\[2\] Feb, 6th 2013: European Public Sector Information
132Platform: [Criticism Mounting Before German Data Portal
133Launch](http://epsiplatform.eu/content/criticism-mounting-german-data-portal-launch)
134
135\[3\]
136<http://sunlightfoundation.com/policy/documents/ten-open-data-principles/>