Open data

Open data protocols have been established to fulfil the needs of data users.

Problems

• Recent surveys demonstrate extremely low levels of 'data reuse'.

• Emphasis is placed on making shared files citeable and creditable so that they conform with traditional academic regimes of value, yet such data sets are still generally treated and valued differently despite these efforts.
• Data sets are very often shared with little or no documentation and in a non- sustainable manner (i.e. in proprietary formats, on proprietary platforms), which reflects the pervasive attitude that sharing poorly documented data is better than sharing nothing at all.
• Sharing data is commonly used as a way to raise one's public profile, especially on social media, resulting in a parallel but not necessarily constructive social economy that emphasizes personal commitment to research rather than the quality of research outputs in their own right.