Edit License & Access

Use licensing and access rights to control who can do what with your data.

Licenses

Discuss Data offers four possible Data Usage Licence Agreements for Data Depositors to choose from:

[A] a restricted form, which serves as the default option for the Platform and in which the Data Depositor has to explicitly relinquish single rights to the Downloader for a specific Data Collection;

[B] the Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-BY), in which the Data Depositor permits others to copy, distribute, display, and perform the work, as well as make and distribute derivative works based on it, if proper attribution is provided;

[C] the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL), in which the Data Depositor permits others to create and distribute derivative works, but only under the same or a compatible license (“share alike”); and

[D] a customized Data Usage Licence Agreements between the Data Depositor and any Downloader of that Data Collection.


Whenever any use of or reference to any Content of the Data Collection is made, the Data Collection has to be cited as outlined in the current version of ‘Best practices: Data Citation’ on the Discuss Data online platform.

[A] Restricted License (default)

You acknowledge that Discuss Data’s default option is the Restricted Data Usage Licence Agreement (‘Data Use Agreement’). By choosing to use the Data Use Agreement, Data Depositors agree that:

  1. The Data Use Agreement covers all restrictions and protections they wish to retain and will not rely on the Platform to provide any further protections or restrictions. However, the Platform can, but is in no way obliged to, recommend further restrictions and protections for the use of Data Collection that go beyond the stipulations of the Data Depositors in order to prevent the (potential) violation of copy and privacy rights;
  2. They are solely responsible for ensuring the Data Use Agreement is legally sound and that the Platform is not responsible for anything included; and
  3. Nothing in the Data Use Agreement conflicts with, supersedes, or limits any prior contractual obligations on the part of the Data Depositor, any third parties, Downloaders, or the Platform.

By choosing the Data Use Agreement, every single right of a Data Collection has to be explicitly granted to the Downloader by the Data Depositor. For a specific Data Collection, the Downloader may be able to:

  • View parts or the whole of the Content included in the Data Collection (in the form it is available in on Discuss Data);
  • Compare and build upon;
  • Modify;
  • Incorporate in only a specific academic project (discussed and agreed upon between the Data Depositor and the Downloader);
  • Incorporate in any other academic projects, publications, research, or other related works;
  • Redistribute as freely as possible in any form whatsoever; and
  • Reuse for any purposes, including, without limitation, commercial purposes.

[B] Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-BY)

Data Depositors have the option of choosing the Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-BY). Data Collections with this license can be freely assessed and used, reused and redistributed if proper attribution is provided. Any public use of the database, or works produced from the database, must be attributed in the manner specified in the license. For any use or redistribution of the database, or works produced from it, the license of the database must be clear and any notices on the original database must be kept intact.

For more information, please read the Open Data Commons Attribution License (ODC-BY) Full Legal Text.

[C] Open Data Commons Open Database License ODbL ("share-alike")

Data Depositors also have the option of choosing the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL). Data Collections with the ODbL license can be freely assessed and used, reused and redistributed, but must be licensed under the same or a compatible license (“share-alike”).

Any public use of the database, or works produced from the database, must be attributed in the manner specified in the license. For any use or redistribution of the database, or works produced from it, the license of the database must be clear and any notices on the original database must be kept intact. If any adapted version of this database, or works produced from an adapted database, are used, that adapted database must be offered under the ODbL as well.

For more information, please read the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL) Full Legal Text.

[D] Customized Data Usage Licence Agreement

Registered Users also have the option of drafting a custom Data Usage Licence Agreement between the Data Depositor and any Downloader of that Data Collection. By choosing to draft a custom Data Usage Licence Agreement for a particular Data Collection, Data Depositors acknowledge and agree that:

  1. The Platform owes no obligation or responsibility and makes no representations with regards to the legality, enforceability, accuracy, or desirability of the custom Data Usage Licence Agreement;
  2. Discuss Data is not a party to the custom Data Usage Licence Agreement and cannot be held accountable for any terms found within the Agreement; and
  3. Discuss Data has no obligation to aid or support either party of the Agreement in the execution or enforcement of the custom Data Usage Licence Agreement’s terms. Data Depositors are responsible for establishing, maintaining, and enforcing the licence terms they wish to use for access to and use of Data Collections. Discuss Data is not responsible for any inaccuracies, unenforceable terms, or liabilities that may arise from choosing any of the options afforded in this Agreement, and Discuss Data will not be responsible for reviewing or enforcing compliance of any terms the Data Depositor may choose to employ.

Access

You can define which Discuss Data Users get view, edit or admin access to your unpublished private data sets on Discuss Data.

Users with view rights

You can invite other registered users of Discuss Data to view your data set even before it is published, so they can view the data set, the metadata and the Documentation of Data Collection and give you comments on how to prepare the data for the publishing process.

Users with edit rights

You can invite other registered users of Discuss Data to edit your data set, before and after it is published. Users with editing rights might be for example student assistants or (temporary) team research members who help with the data input, but who should not receive administrative rights due to particular reasons. Just type the name of the user in the search box. All users with that name will appear automatically, and by clicking on "Add to" they will receive editing rights.

Users with admin rights

You can select other registered users whom you want to permit admin rights. Users with admin rights can do everything with the data you can do - including deleting the data from the platform. Thus, make sure that you give admin rights only to users to whom you wish to entrust your data. Just type the name of the user in the search box. All users with that name will appear automatically and by clicking on "Add to" they will receive admin rights.