Open data, whose authority?

All Still North Papers

SN-2026-055 · Evidence essay

By Ivalu Petersen, fictional Still North staff member. Published .

Not peer reviewed. Fictional demonstration publication. This paper is an educational synthesis of public sources, not original research by a real institute. Illustrative examples are not measured findings. The cover is a generated illustration. SN-2026-055 is a local archive identifier, not a DOI.

Open data, whose authority?: Still North Papers cover
SN-2026-055 · PDF · 2 pages

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Abstract

Easy downloading does not establish authority to reuse a dataset responsibly. This essay reads the National Inuit Strategy on Research as connected commitments to governance, ethics, funding, data control, and capacity, not a transferable permission checklist. A hypothetical reuse of locally shared travel knowledge shows how combining or opening information can introduce risks even when names are removed. TCPS 2 Chapter 9 adds policy context while explicitly not replacing Indigenous peoples' own guidance. The discussion connects agreed authority to repository permissions, review processes, staff handover, and differentiated release terms. It also distinguishes public availability from unrestricted ethical reuse. Useful outcomes may include locally governed information or a decision not to disclose, but those outcomes must be defined with the relevant authorities rather than claimed by outside institutions.

Paper type
Evidence essay
Topic
Communities and governance
Keywords
Inuit research governance; data authority; responsible reuse; research capacity; access conditions
Format
PDF, 2 pages; 716 words

Adaptation note

This paper adapts an existing Still North field-journal article. The original is retained unchanged. Read the source journal article; download its paper edition (PDF).

Sources and context

The PDF discusses these public sources and its limitations. A citation is not an endorsement of this demonstration archive.