Our Dataset Access Policy Explained 💡
From the start DataCircle’s focus has been to help people discover, monetize and exchange datasets.
DataCircle’s model is closer to that of a Marketplace. Marketplaces have an inherit chicken 🐔 & egg 🥚 problem and require an ever increase user base in order to become more useful and hatch out of their egg 🐣.
Now I want to discuss a topic that created some controversy.
The Access Policy to the datasets (in all their forms)
All Datasets links, embeded airtable, uploaded files, pure datasets (queried) required, not for long, either user registration to the platform or for the user to submit his/her email address.
There are were a couple of reasons as to why we choose this course of action.
First is legal. Especially after the new European Data Privacy Laws (GDPR) will take effect, and also simple licenses that most datasets run under require that access is regulated. Simple as that.
Second, comes the inherit problem that marketplaces come with. Even with the current measures people come to the platform and go. Leaving no traces of them ever accessing the platform and giving no attribution.
The only way we could medicate this was to ask for registration/email.
Yes we are aware you can use a burner email address and still obtain the dataset, but if a user goes to that extent, it is better to just let him do as he pleases.
However this is a platform for people and we should invest in them. That is why from today forth all datasets that link back to an existing dataset will be available without registration or email.
We will still need to keep uploaded datasets only for registered users due to legal reasons.
I have faith that people will see what we want to deliver and help us.
But how can you help us?
- 👪 Register with us.
- 🐦 Follow/Share DataCircle on Social Media. 👇
- 📊 Share your dataset. Did you find an existing one? Did you create one? Share it with us!
- 😊 All of the above.
