Governance

If and when the Open Data Rights API finds application, stakeholders will need to be more consistently and meaningfully involved in the governance process of it. As of current, the Data Rights API finds a beneficial dictator in the form of a single maintainer. In case of adoption by organisations, the process of change needs to be structured.

First and fore-mostly, organisations need to be part of the conversation on how they facilitate data rights. In the future, the Open Data Rights API (and derivative trademarks, etc.) should be part of an independent, not-for-profit organisation. Initially, this organisation could be stewarded by another organisation (e.g. the Linux Foundation or Internet Society) with the knowledge to support such a project. This organisation should allow membership from stakeholders, both commercial and non-commercial.

Given the basis for membership, the rights and duties that are associated with it must be defined. While most of these have no need of definition right now, at the very least a process for participation in evolution of the standard must be defined. Preferably, some sort of Request for Comment process needs to be set up. In this process, member must be able to (unsolicitedly) submit proposals for change. Additionally members must be able to participate in decision making by means of voting.

These functions need to be supported legally, by means of statutes, incorporation and codification of procedures. In the meanwhile, this project is governed by GitHub issues. We invite anyone to create an issue to discuss an aspect of the API, or submit a Pull Request against the OpenAPI specification or documentation.