title: We need accessible platforms and open licenses for our data!
date: 2013-02-06 23:26:00 
updated: 2013-02-09 14:20:30 
author: 46halbe
tags: update, pressemitteilung, open data

Joint statement: Finally setting the standard to “open”!

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On August 8th, 2012, the German Federal Ministry of the Interior
announced its intention to build an open government data portal to make
national information and data freely available for use by citizens.

Up until now, a lot of the relevant datasets have still not been made
available or at least are not released under an open license. The German
open data and open government community (here undersigned) [put together
a (sample-)list of relevant
datasets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AplklDf0nYxWdEx1RGJJX3hnVHl5VzRvWGMwZjMyaHc&usp=sharing&authkey=CPaKlO0N#gid=0)
that we are requesting to be released in accordance with the [Open
Definition](http://opendefinition.org/). As it stands right now, the
community fears a watering down of the open government idea may be the
only effect of the platform. \[3\]

**In an open letter, representatives of the German Open Data community
outline why the federal data platform (govdata.de) is not acceptable in
its currently planned form.**

The reasons for our current criticism are as follows:

The [chosen license
model](https://github.com/fraunhoferfokus/ogd-metadata/tree/master/lizenzen)
\[4\] for the portal is a custom solution that does not conform
to [internationally recognized standards](http://opendefinition.org/)
\[5\]. The portal, as seen so far, is lacking provisions for usability
and security. Furthermore, there are no visible efforts to motivate
users to reuse the data provided.

**The custom licence model cuts Germany off from the open data pool**

Major problems with applying a custom license to the data in question is
that unfamiliarity with a new license discourages reuse, as developers
and users must seek additional advice before risking to work with the
data. Moreover, the most interesting and useful applications developed
with open data often require data from numerous sources to be combined –
this is why interoperability (such as is possible between some of the
approved open licenses listed above) is so important.

**What needs to happen?**

The success of the platform and the entire open government data strategy
of Germany depends on the publication of government data that is truly
open. The current approach risks devaluing the concept of open
government.

This is why we are making the following requests from www.govdata.de:

1.  Data should be made accessible according to the [ten
    principles](http://sunlightfoundation.com/policy/documents/ten-open-data-principles/)
    of open data;
2.  Recognition and adherence to true open government (data) and [open
    and explicit licences](http://opendefinition.org/);
3.  Data should be open by default and closed only in justified
    exceptions;
4.  Civil law standard licensing instead of administrative law terms of
    use and abandonment of legal control over single datasets;
5.  The release of relevant and meaningful major datasets, rather than
    unimportant information;
6.  Marketing of the platform as the central repository for public data
    in the country and communication of its importance and activity;
7.  Establishment of a central and authoritative clearing house for data
    with authority to reprimand institutions if necessary.

**Government data means that administrations govern it, not that they
own it.**

Opening government data will only be a success if unrestricted use is
possible and actively encouraged. The platform should have model
character and win support of all actors, including those possibly
reusing the data. This is only possible by reaching an advanced state in
usability, interfaces, security, accessability and openness. In its
current state, the platform is far from these goals which is why the
“community” cannot in good faith put its support behind it yet.

Representatives of the “German Open Data Community”

 

**Initial Signers**:

Daniel Dietrich, Open Knowledge Foudation Deutschland e. V.,
Vorstandsvorsitzender

Daniel Lentfer, Mitinitiator des Hamburgischen Transparenzgesetzes

Mathias Schindler, Wikimedia Deutschland e. V.

Boris Hekele, abgeordnetenwatch.de/Parlamentwatch e. V., Mitgründer

Lavinia Steiner, Digitale Gesellschaft e. V., stellvertretende
Vorstandsvorsitzende

Markus Beckedahl, netzpolitik.org

Christian Heise, Initiative e-demokratie.org, Open Knowledge Foundation
Deutschland e. V.

Christian Horchert, Open Data Network e. V., stellvertretender
Vorstandsvorsitzender

Sören Auer, Koordinator des EU-Forschungsprojektes zu Linked Open Data
LOD2

Michael Hirdes, Chaos Computer Club e. V.

Holger Drewes, opendata-showroom.org

 

**Please sign!**

<http://not-your-govdata.de/>

 

**Links**:

\[1\] Feb, 4th 2013: Open Gov Germany: [German government screws up open
data](http://opengovgermany.com/2013/02/04/german-government-screws-up-open-data/)

\[2\] Feb, 6th 2013: European Public Sector Information
Platform: [Criticism Mounting Before German Data Portal
Launch](http://epsiplatform.eu/content/criticism-mounting-german-data-portal-launch)

\[3\]
<http://sunlightfoundation.com/policy/documents/ten-open-data-principles/>