Research Guides: Open Data: Open Licenses

Open Licenses

Here are resources that will allow you to explore the various types of open data licenses available and how to apply them to data.

Project Open Data (U.S. Government):

Creative Commons:

Zero License (CC0)
CC0 is a "no rights reserved" license that allows owners of copyrighted materials and database-protected content to waive their interests and place their works in the public domain. This allows others to use, build upon, and transform works as they wish.
Attribution License (CC BY)
The CC BY License gives others the same rights as the CC0 license, provided that the original creator is credited for thier work.
Attribution Share-Alike License (CC BY-SA)
Similar to the CC BY License, the CC BY-SA requires others to credit the original creator for their work. The CC BY-SA contains an additional measure that requires new works derived from the original work to be licensed under identical terms as the original work.

Open Data Commons:

Open Data Commons
"Open Data Commons is the home of a set of legal tools and licenses to help you publish, provide and use open data."

Licenses available through the Open Data Commons include: