Unlocking
the value in geospatial data
Geographically referenced data or ‘geospatial’ data has
become an increasingly important part of our day to day lives. On a personal
level it’s been helping us plan routes, holidays, where to live and shop.
Behind the scenes, it’s helping power online retailers, set insurance prices,
and prioritise where roads, schools and homes are built. Britain has some of
the best geospatial data in the world, and whether we realise it or not, it is
changing the way we see the world and the way we live our lives.
In 2018, the UK Government set up the Geospatial Commission
as an impartial expert committee within the Cabinet Office, to drive the move
to use public and private sector geospatial data more productively. Research
estimates that this could contribute up to £11 billion of extra value for the
economy every year. The British
Geological Survey (BGS), along with HM Land
Registry, the Ordnance Survey, the Valuation
Office Agency, the UK
Hydrographic Office and the Coal
Authority have been identified as Partner Bodies of the Commission
as we hold the UK’s most valuable location data. As partner bodies we are
working with the Commission to make the most of the opportunities presented by
geospatial data. Before we can do that our first challenge is to remove some of
the barriers or blockers that restrict access to data.
Removing
the licence barrier
One of these barriers identified by the Geospatial
Commission was licensing. Anyone who has tried to access any form of protected
data will appreciate that conditions placed on data can severely hamper access.
Getting past the legal terms and conditions can cause real headaches.
Licensing of data is an important function for many
organisations including BGS. It helps to protect our intellectual property,
explains the limits of liability and ensures it can be re-used in a way that
allows us to generate income which supports the ongoing maintenance of the
underlying data. We can’t simply remove terms and conditions nor switch to an
‘open’ licence. We can, however, make the terms under which we supply data
easier to understand and consistent with the other Partner Bodies.
Harmonised
terms for data exploration
Under a Geospatial Commission funded project, licensing
experts from the partner bodies, have been working to create a single Data Exploration Licence to enable
anyone to take data from our organisations under harmonised terms. The Data
Exploration Licence will allow anyone to freely access data while they research
and develop ideas and propositions. They can even display their results and
create working prototypes before having to commit a commercial arrangement.
The partner bodies anticipate rolling out the Data
Exploration Licence in April but we’re keen to start talking about it now. If
you’re want to know more about this or the wider project to simplify licences
please contact Gerry Wildman.
A geospatial data revolution requires a licensing
revolution. We’re hoping this is the first step on a journey to more closely
aligning licenses across the Geospatial Commission’s Partner Bodies.
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