Data Working Group 2018 Q1 Case Report
Background
The Data Working Group (DWG) filed 216 cases for the time period from 1 Jan 2018 to 31 March 2018.
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

Created2018-03-31
2018-03-30
2018-03-30
2018-03-29
2018-03-29
2018-03-29
2018-03-29
2018-03-29
2018-03-27
2018-03-27
2018-03-26
2018-03-26
2018-03-21
2018-03-20
2018-03-20
2018-03-20
2018-03-18
2018-03-16
2018-03-15
2018-03-14
2018-03-14
2018-03-14
2018-03-14
2018-03-14
2018-03-13
2018-03-12
2018-03-12
2018-03-12
2018-03-12
2018-03-12
2018-03-12
2018-03-11
2018-03-10
2018-03-09
2018-03-09
2018-03-09

Type
spam or poor mapping
otherotherspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
other
other
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
undiscussed or other problematic importotherspam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
non-international external complaint about data
user conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
other
other
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
import from potentially incompatible source
user conflict and non-responsiveness
import from potentially incompatible source
user conflict and non-responsivenessinternational disputegeneral request for information
user conflict and non-responsivenessgeneral request for information
otherRegion
USA
RussiaWorldwide
Russiaswitzerland

EuropeUSA
Netherlands
Portugal
IranEngland
Germany
Worldwide
Worldwide
Germany
PolandRussiaUSA
BrazilNone
Ethiopia
Spain
Italy
RussiaRussiaNethrelands
TaiwanBangladesh
Germany
BrazilCrimeaActionadvice givenotherno action neededblock issued
block issued
block issued, community contacted
no action needed
no action neededblock issued, reverted
block issued
block issued
changeset commented
advice given
block issued, changeset commented, community contacted, reverted
reverted
advice given
block issued, reverted
block issued
changeset commented
block issued
block issued
no action neededblock issued
otheradvice givenno action neededchangeset commentedchangeset commented
block issued
block issued
advice given, community contacted
advice given
advice given
block issued
advice given
advice given

3Created2018-03-08
2018-03-08
2018-03-07
2018-03-05
2018-03-05
2018-03-04
2018-03-04
2018-03-03
2018-03-03
2018-03-03
2018-03-03
2018-03-02
2018-03-01
2018-03-01
2018-02-28
2018-02-28
2018-02-28
2018-02-28
2018-02-27
2018-02-27
2018-02-27
2018-02-26
2018-02-26
2018-02-26
2018-02-25
2018-02-25
2018-02-24
2018-02-23
2018-02-22
2018-02-22
2018-02-21
2018-02-20
2018-02-19
2018-02-19
2018-02-19
2018-02-18
2018-02-18
2018-02-17

Type
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
user conflict and non-responsiveness
request for technical help e.g. revertinternational dispute
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importundiscussed or other problematic importuser conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessotherspam or poor mapping
general request for information
spam or poor mappingotherspam or poor mappingotherspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
import from potentially incompatible source
international dispute
undiscussed mechanical edit
international disputeotherspam or poor mappingotherspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
international disputeinternational dispute

RegionRussiaUkraineUSA
CyprusTurkeyEuropeRussiaUSA
RussiaRussiaMalawiGeorgia
RussiaUSAUSA
IranUSA, Niger
USA
Kazakhstan
India
Somalia
Czech Republic
GlobalSpain
AfricaUSA
GermanyUSA
India
RussiaUSA
KosovoMacedonia

Actionblock issued
advice given
block issued, reverted
reverted
advice given
reverted
block issued
block issued, reverted
block issued
changeset commented
advice given
block issued, reverted
advice given
advice given
hiding of notes or comments
block issued
advice given
advice given
reverted
advice given
block issued, reverted
block issued, revertedchangeset commented
advice givenchangeset commented, reverted
revertedhiding of notes or comments
reverted
advice given
revertedrevertedchangeset commented
advice given
block issued
block issued
reverted
block issued
advice given

4Created2018-02-16
2018-02-16
2018-02-16
2018-02-15
2018-02-14
2018-02-13
2018-02-13
2018-02-11
2018-02-11
2018-02-11
2018-02-10
2018-02-10
2018-02-10
2018-02-10
2018-02-09
2018-02-09
2018-02-09
2018-02-08
2018-02-08
2018-02-06
2018-02-06
2018-02-05
2018-02-05
2018-02-01
2018-02-01
2018-02-01
2018-02-01
2018-01-31
2018-01-31
2018-01-31
2018-01-30
2018-01-30
2018-01-29
2018-01-29
2018-01-29
2018-01-28
2018-01-28
2018-01-28

Typerequest for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessotheruser conflict and non-responsivenessgeneral request for informationotherspam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
undiscussed mechanical edit
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
non-international external complaint about datanon-international external complaint about data
spam or poor mappingotherspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappingotherrequest for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mapping
international dispute
import from potentially incompatible source
import from potentially incompatible source
import from potentially incompatible source
general request for information
general request for informationotherspam or poor mappingotherspam or poor mapping
undiscussed mechanical edit

RegionVietnam
USARussia
USAUSA
Worldwide
CanadaChina
ItalyPeruGermany
United Kingdom
ThailandUSA
Brazil
Peru
Chile
USA
Netherlands
Spain
None
ThailandSingapore
Yemen
Germany
New Zealand
Moldova
DPRK
DPRK
SwedenPeru
FranceNone
Argentina
NoneUSAWorldwide

Actionrevertedreverted
block issued
advice given, otheradvice given
advice givenchangeset commented
block issued
block issued
block issued, reverted
advice given
reverted
advice given
reverted
block issued
block issued
block issued
reverted
advice given
block issued, reverted
advice given
block issued
block issued, revertedchangeset commented, reverted
revertedotherreverted
advice givenchangeset commented, redacted, reverted
community contacted
advice given
advice given
advice given
advice given
block issued, reverted
advice given
advice given
block issued

5

Created2018-01-27
2018-01-27
2018-01-26
2018-01-26
2018-01-26
2018-01-25
2018-01-24
2018-01-23
2018-01-23
2018-01-22
2018-01-22
2018-01-22
2018-01-21
2018-01-20
2018-01-20
2018-01-20
2018-01-19
2018-01-19
2018-01-19
2018-01-18
2018-01-18
2018-01-18
2018-01-18
2018-01-18
2018-01-17
2018-01-17
2018-01-17
2018-01-17
2018-01-17
2018-01-16
2018-01-15
2018-01-15
2018-01-15
2018-01-14
2018-01-14
2018-01-13
2018-01-11
2018-01-10

Type
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
request to remove personal dataotherrequest to remove personal data
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
request for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importotherspam or poor mapping
import from potentially incompatible source
user conflict and non-responsivenessotherspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
non-international external complaint about dataotherspam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
DMCA notice
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed mechanical edit
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
import from potentially incompatible source
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importothergeneral request for information

RegionUSA
Russia
USA
Niger
Peru
FranceNiger
EuropeUkraineCzech Republic
Germany
Philippines
China
Germany
Iran
None
Denmark
PolandBrazilBangladesh
IsraelRussiaAustralia
Germany
GlobalAustralia
PeruCanadaBangladesh
BelarusTaiwanItaly
DenmarkGermany
West BankUSA

Actionchangeset commented, reverted
block issued, reverted
hiding of notes or comments
hiding of notes or comments
no action neededhiding of notes or comments
block issued
block issued
block issued
advice given
community contacted
revertedchangeset commented, reverted
block issued
revertedno action neededblock issued
redacted
block issued, changeset commented
hiding of notes or comments
block issued
block issued
changeset commented
advice given
advice givenchangeset commentedchangeset commentedchangeset commented, redacted
block issued
advice given, block issued, community contacted
reverted
advice given
advice given
advice given
block issued
advice given
otheradvice given

Created
2018-01-10
2018-01-09
2018-01-09
2018-01-08
2018-01-03
2018-01-02
2018-01-01

Typespam or poor mapping
otherinternational dispute
user conflict and non-responsiveness
undiscussed or other problematic importspam or poor mapping
otherRegion
USAUK
Nagorno Karabakh
Italy
USAUSA
CanadaAction
hiding of notes or comments
block issued
advice given
block issued, changeset commented
block issued, changeset commented, reverted
block issued, other, reverted
other6

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. privateproperty, 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.
The use of region names in this report is not an endorsement of any particular claim of sovereignty orstatehood.
Prepared by Paul Norman for the Data Working Group7