Data accessibility, confidentiality and copyright

Bangkok 2010

Overview

■ Accessibility

■ Confidentiality

■ Copyright

Accessibility

■ Census data more accessible than ever before

■ Prior to 2006 - ■ hard copy publication ■ expensive and technically complex

CD Rom based packages■ Consultancy■ Community Service obligations –

limited service

Accessibility

■ 2006 - ■ internet-based products (mainly)■ transparent information about quality

and metadata■ products more intuitive■ Community Service obligations –

more data available and for free

Challenges and opportunities

■ Users always want more!■ and for free■ emerging needs

■ Duty of care – arming users so they can make informed decisions

■ Greater exposure of Census data – need to be more transparent

■ Making it easier for others to make the data more accessible....and in more formats

Copyright

■ Distribution of data downloaded free from the ABS website is covered by Creative Commons license Attribution 2.5 Australia.

■ Includes TableBuilder

■ Users to attribute the work in the manner specified by the ABS (but not in any way that suggests that the ABS endorses the user or their use of the data)

■ The user must cite the ABS and the source

Joint works

■ The work will note all partners

■ The ABS publishes works to release statistical and/or related information not necessarily representing an official ABS position, even though the ABS is prepared to publish the work as a publisher where it is deemed appropriate.

■ Disclaimer: views expressed in this paper are those of the author(s), and do not necessarily represent those of the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Customised data

■ Not covered under creative commons licensing, but this may change for the 2011 Census

Licensed intermediaries

■ Organisation or individual who provides Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data in their own products or services

■ This contributes to ABS mission: 'assisting and encouraging informed decision making, research and discussion'.

■ Permission is required and a licensing fee may apply

■This is subject to review for 2011

Challenges and opportunities

■ Users value ABS 'stamp of approval'

■ Queries about the way Census data has been used....'I saw this website that said....'

■ Improved partnerships and relationship building.....help us tap into current and emerging user needs

■ Now that users can self-serve, harder to engage with them

Confidentiality■ ABS = Legislation

■ New products = new confidentiality routine

■ Developed by ABS methodology section

■Consistent introduction of cell 'noise' - the exact same table always produces the same numbers

■Dynamic and applied at the final level of aggregation - thereby minimising the impact on data quality

Confidentiality■ Mitigates the risk of differencing (subtracting two tables to disclose the real numbers)

■Table totals are additive

■The same method is used across all output products

■Safe and proven

■Methodologically simple

■Can be modified to suit survey data

Opportunities and challenges■ Emerging demand for more data (ie microdata and data linking) that remains confidential

■ Refinement of existing methodology

■ Educating users without letting them 'crack the code'