New Resource: Data Commons FAQ

What are data commons? Where did the concept come from? How are they different from other data collaboratives? What value do they provide? And what are there limitations?

These are just a few of the questions that we’ve received since The Open Data Policy Lab published its Blueprint to Unlock New Data Commons for AI—a framework for creating new, collaboratively governed data ecosystems that pool and provide responsible access to diverse, high-quality datasets from one or more sectors.

Data Commons: Frequently Asked Questions seeks to answer some of those concerns. In the form of a short, 15-page report, it provides an overview of the concept and why they can serve as an alternative to the growing use of privatized data silos or extractive re-use of open datasets. It answers questions such as:

• What is a data commons?

• Where does the idea for a commons come from?

• How are commons managed?

• How are data commons different from data collaboratives?

• What are some of the critiques of data commons?

Authored by Stefaan Verhulst (The Govlab), Andrew J. Zahuranec (The GovLab), Hannah Chafetz (The GovLab), Leona Verdadero (UNESCO), and Jennifer Hansen (Microsoft), the resource is a vital component to the New Commons Incubator—which seeks applicants for a six-month capacity-building program to support the development of data commons proposals. 

By reviewing the document, possible applicants can understand exactly what the Incubator seeks to achieve. Others can use the FAQ to guide their own work, developing data commons that correspond to the latest research and analysis. It is also available in French and Spanish.

We invite you to read Data Commons: Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about this work. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at newcommons@opendatapolicylab.org.