A while back we asked Who Owns Your Data? and since then DataLibre has appeared to tell you that you should own your data.
As I revisited the Groundspeak forum on Buxley’s use of Geocaching.com’s data, I started to notice that people were concerned about the ownership of their data, and there are a few interesting ideas, and the discussion of the Waypoint Licensing Agreement we discussed recently comes to the surface as well.
My quick take away is this: Always read those agreements, as you really should know what you are agreeing to. (And for the agreement makers, create a way to provide feedback on these agreements if people are uncomfortable with them or have questions.) Second, publish your data first. Get a web site, post your data there before you post it elsewhere, even if you don’t promote it or make it public, put it out there, so that when the data you gave away turns sour, you still have your original copy with a permanent home on the web that you control…