Three folders, three sets of rules
A bakery owner has three folders of data. One is a public list of bus stops. One holds customer names and phone numbers. One is a map that she pays to use.
She can share the first with anyone. She must guard the second. She must follow the buying rules for the third.
Key words
| Word | What it means | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Open data | Data that anyone can get for free, reuse and share again. | A list of bus stops |
| Private data | Data that is kept back and not shared with everyone. | A customer list |
| Person identifiable data | Data that can point to one real person. | A name with a phone number |
| Commercially sensitive data | Data that would help a rival or harm a business if it leaked. | A secret price plan |
| Licensed data | Data you may use only on the terms of a licence, often for a fee. | A detailed map |
| Licence | A written permission that says what you may and may not do. | Use for one year, five staff |
| Redistribute | To pass data on to other people. | Put a list on a website |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.
By the end of this lesson
Note
I can sort data into open, private or licensed, and say what I may do with each.
Starter: internal or external?
Have a go
Starter: internal or external?
3 questionsYour answers are marked here and are not kept. A college account keeps every student’s marks.
Open data
Open data is free to get, free to reuse and free to share again. Two kinds of group publish it.
Some independent groups choose to publish it, such as a university sharing survey results. Some government bodies must publish it because the rules say so. Either way it still has a source, so name it when you use it.
Private data
Private data is not for everyone. There are two main kinds.
Person identifiable data points to a real person: a name, an address, a phone number. The law protects it.
Commercially sensitive data would help a rival or harm a business if it leaked: prices not yet announced, or supplier deals. Guard both.
Licensed data
Licensed data comes with a licence: a written list of what you may do. Two common examples are mapping from Ordnance Survey, Britain's national mapping agency, and address data.
A licence may limit how long you can use the data, how many people can see it, and whether you may share it. Read it before you start.
The three kinds side by side
| Kind | Cost to get | May I share it? | Invented example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Free | Yes, and name the source | Bus stop list |
| Private | Not for sale | No, guard it | Customer phone numbers |
| Licensed | Often a fee | Only as the licence says | Paid street map |
The cells students fill in are left blank in this preview.