Data Working Group 2017 Q3 Case Report
Background
The Data Working Group (DWG) filed 119 cases for the time period from 1 July 2017 to 30 September 2017.
Some inquiries were handled quickly without any official action on the Data Working Group’s part–usually
due to the inquiry not falling under the purview of the Data Working Group.
Generally, when a complaint is brought to the DWG, the complainant is asked to first open dialogue withthe user in question. This is accomplished through the channels of changeset discussions, forum and mailinglist posts, or private messages as a last resort. DWG members may also choose to become directly involvedin this communication immediately; otherwise, they will wait for a response from the user. Changeset
discussions are viewable by everyone and are preferred as other OSM users can also provide input and sothat the communication trail can be established.
If a user is unresponsive after a period of time but continues to edit the map, they will often be given a
0 hour block. This block requires them to log into the OSM website and read the block message set by aDWG member. In some cases, a user performing large-scale edits or using incompatible data sources may
be blocked immediately to provide a pause for analysis and limit the amount of data added to the database.
Data that are found to be in conflict with the OSM license or community standards of practice may
be reverted either by a DWG member or by a member of the community if requested. Data may also
be redacted completely from the database, especially for egregious copyright violations. Occasionally theDWG receives requests or complaints from the general public through the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
compliance email address; correctly mapped data is usually not modified, but small changes in classifications
or representation may be made by DWG members.
In every case, the DWG gives mappers the benefit of the doubt and that they are acting with goodintentions. Complaints may indeed be ruled as unfounded or incorrect if the alleged is correctly mapping.
Perhaps the features added are very new, and a user surveyed that data but did not indicate this in theirchangeset. Alternatively, the user may be adding survey data from a holiday a few weeks prior that was
greatly removed from their home. In these instances, tickets are closed out and no further action is taken.

1Case list

2

Created2017/07/04
2017/07/04
2017/07/06
2017/07/10
2017/07/10
2017/07/10
2017/07/10
2017/07/10
2017/07/10
2017/07/11
2017/07/11
2017/07/11
2017/07/12
2017/07/12
2017/07/12
2017/07/13
2017/07/13
2017/07/14
2017/07/15
2017/07/15
2017/07/16
2017/07/19
2017/07/19
2017/07/19
2017/07/20
2017/07/20
2017/07/21
2017/07/22
2017/07/22
2017/07/23
2017/07/24
2017/07/24
2017/07/24
2017/07/25
2017/07/25
2017/07/26

Type
spam or poor mapping
import from potentially incompatible source
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importundiscussed or other problematic importuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
request to remove personal data
undiscussed mechanical edit
spam or poor mappingotherrequest to remove personal data
general request for information
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mapping
request for technical help e.g. revert
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping

RegionActionFinlandreverted
Germany
redacted
Palestine
block issued
ItalyrevertedAsia
block issued
Germany
block issued
United Kingdom block issued
Iraq
revertedSpainadvice given
Chinachangeset commented, reverted
Asia
advice given
Canadablock issued, reverted
Globalno action needed
Romania
hiding of notes or comments
Worldwide
reverted
Worldwide
reverted
Germany
advice given
Europehiding of notes or comments
Europeadvice given
Europehiding of notes or comments
Polandno action neededUSA
block issued
Europeblock issued, changeset commented
Polandblock issued
Russiachangeset commented
Worldwide
block issued, reverted
North America
advice given
Denmarkchangeset commented
Germany
block issued
Egypt
hiding of notes or comments
Iraq
block issued
n/aadvice given
South America
advice givenUSAno action needed, reverted
Russiablock issuedSwitzerland
block issued

3

Created2017/07/28
2017/07/29
2017/07/30
2017/08/01
2017/08/01
2017/08/01
2017/08/01
2017/08/01
2017/08/02
2017/08/02
2017/08/03
2017/08/03
2017/08/04
2017/08/06
2017/08/06
2017/08/08
2017/08/08
2017/08/09
2017/08/11
2017/08/11
2017/08/14
2017/08/16
2017/08/18
2017/08/18
2017/08/18
2017/08/18
2017/08/18
2017/08/18
2017/08/19
2017/08/20
2017/08/20
2017/08/21
2017/08/21
2017/08/22
2017/08/22
2017/08/24
2017/08/24
2017/08/25

Typeundiscussed mechanical edit
import from potentially incompatible source
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importinternational disputegeneral request for information
API misuseuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
other
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
user conflict and non-responsivenessinternational dispute
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed mechanical edit
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importrequest to remove personal data
general request for information
request for technical help e.g. revert
user conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
non-international external complaint about data
spam or poor mapping
otherinternational dispute

RegionMany countries
India
Germany
Germany
germany
EuropeAsia
AfricaWorldwide
EuropeCyprusGermany
EuropeAsia
EuropeRussiaGlobalGermany
RwandaEuropeSouth America
EuropeSouth America
Asia
EuropeWorldwide
EuropeEurope
SwedenGreeceNorth America
Austria
EuropeAustralasia
Yemen
RussiaRussiaAsia

Actionblock issued, changeset commentedadvice given, reverted
block issued, reverted
block issued
no action neededchangeset commented
advice givenno action neededotherblock issued
changeset commented, reverted
advice given
advice given
block issued
block issued
no action neededotherredacted, reverted
block issued
otheradvice given
block issued
reverted
advice given
block issued
reverted
block issued
block issued
block issued, hiding of notes or comments
hiding of notes or comments
hiding of notes or comments
advice given
block issued
block issued
reverted
block issued, changeset commented
otherchangeset commented

4Created2017/08/27
2017/08/28
2017/08/29
2017/08/29
2017/08/29
2017/08/31
2017/09/03
2017/09/03
2017/09/04
2017/09/05
2017/09/06
2017/09/06
2017/09/06
2017/09/06
2017/09/07
2017/09/07
2017/09/09
2017/09/10
2017/09/10
2017/09/11
2017/09/14
2017/09/15
2017/09/16
2017/09/16
2017/09/16
2017/09/17
2017/09/17
2017/09/18
2017/09/20
2017/09/20
2017/09/20
2017/09/22
2017/09/23
2017/09/23
2017/09/24
2017/09/24
2017/09/25
2017/09/25

Type
request for technical help e.g. revert
request for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
request for technical help e.g. revert
user conflict and non-responsiveness
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
international dispute
undiscussed or other problematic importrequest for technical help e.g. revertinternational dispute
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
non-international external complaint about datainternational disputegeneral request for information
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
general request for informationinternational dispute
user conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
otherundiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
import from potentially incompatible source
international disputeinternational dispute
user conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping

RegionEuropeNorth America
PolandUSA
Asia
Netherlands
BrazilSouth America
Unknown
Macedonia
Asia
EuropeUSA
Asia
Tanzania
CanadaTanzania
Asia
FloridaAfricaBelarusSouth America
EuropeTurkmenistan
Turkmenistan
African/aEurope
worldwide
EuropeBelarus
Colombia
USA
BrazilEuropeAsia
SicilyEurope

Actionadvice given
hiding of notes or comments
block issued
block issued, reverted
revertedreverted
block issued
block issued
advice given
revertedchangeset commented
advice given
advice given
reverted
block issued
block issued
no action needed
advice givenno action needed
advice givenchangeset commented
advice given, redacted, reverted
advice givenno action needed
no action needed
advice givenno action neededblock issued
block issued, reverted
advice givenno action neededblock issued, changeset commented, reverted
advice given, changeset commented
redacted, reverted
block issued
advice given
advice given, block issued
changeset commented, reverted

Created
2017/09/28
2017/09/29
2017/09/29
2017/09/30
2017/09/30
2017/09/30
2017/09/30

Type
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importundiscussed mechanical edit
API misuse
undiscussed or other problematic import

RegionChina
Indonesia
RussiaEuropeWorldwide
Croatia
Denmark

Actionadvice givenchangeset commented
advice givenchangeset commented
block issued
block issued
block issued

5

Reporting methodology
Each case listed is identified by the creation date of the ticket, the type of issue or complaint, the region
affected, and DWG action on the case.
Cases are manually coded into the following highly generalized categories:• API misuse: user abusing API for editing.
• DMCA notice: legal entity filing a Digital Millennium Copyright Act takedown notice.
• General request for information: a query about a data type, a process, or other at least semi-DWG
related matter.
• Import from incompatible source: user adding copyrighted or otherwise incompatibly licensed data.
• International dispute: mapping dispute related to international issues, such as border representations
or international attributes on objects.
• Non-international external complaint about data: an outside entity with a data issue (e.g. private
property, incorrect tag).
• Request for technical help: community request for DWG expertise, usually in reverting a complex setof data.
• Request to remove personal data: complaint about identifying information added to the database,whether on objects or notes.
• Spam or poor mapping: a user adding spam data or generally degrading data quality.
• Undiscussed mechanical edit: user employing technical means to edit OSM with limited or no humanintervention and not following the automated edits code of conduct.
• Undiscussed or other problematic import: user importing data without following the guidelines.
• User conflict or non-responsiveness: a conflict between one or more mappers, possibly due to nonresponsiveness in discussions about the mapping occurring.
• Other: issue that does not necessarily fit into one of these categories.
Reporting methodologies differed from the current system prior to 2017, so the listed action may be only
one of the many DWG actions for the case. Nevertheless, action definitions are:• Advice given: information is provided to the party.
• Block issued: a user block is issued for a user.
• Changeset commented: a DWG member reached out in a comment on an involved changeset.
• Hiding of notes or comments: in the case of personal data or spam, the note or comment was hiddenfrom public view.
• No action needed: the community resolved the case, the suspected violation was indeed not actuallytrue, or the case required no intervention.
• Reverted: data in question were reverted and possibly redacted.
• Other: action does not necessarily fit into one of these categories.
Prepared by Ethan Nelson for the Data Working Group

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