Sharing data is one thing. Knowing what you’re allowed to do with it is another.

In the coming period, I’ll be exploring two interesting concepts related to data: FAIR and ODRL.

FAIR is about making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable.

ODRL takes this a step further by describing the rights and conditions that apply to the use of that data.

In short:
FAIR tells you how to make data usable.
ODRL tells you what you’re allowed to do with it.

I find the combination particularly interesting. As organisations increasingly share data across systems, businesses and supply chains, the question is no longer just “Can we share this data?”  but also:

“Can we define, in a machine-readable way, what can be done with that data?”

I believe there are many interesting possibilities to explore here.