Data Working Group 2017 Q2 Case Report
Background
The Data Working Group (DWG) filed 122 cases for the time period from 1 April 2017 to 30 June 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

Created2017/04/01
2017/04/02
2017/04/03
2017/04/03
2017/04/04
2017/04/04
2017/04/05
2017/04/10
2017/04/11
2017/04/11
2017/04/11
2017/04/11
2017/04/11
2017/04/12
2017/04/12
2017/04/12
2017/04/12
2017/04/12
2017/04/13
2017/04/14
2017/04/15
2017/04/15
2017/04/17
2017/04/17
2017/04/18
2017/04/18
2017/04/18
2017/04/19
2017/04/19
2017/04/19
2017/04/19
2017/04/19
2017/04/20
2017/04/20
2017/04/21
2017/04/22

Type
spam or poor mappingotherspam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
general request for information
undiscussed mechanical edit
international dispute
user conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
import from potentially incompatible source
import from potentially incompatible source
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessgeneral request for information
general request for information
request for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
import from potentially incompatible source
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
undiscussed or other problematic importothergeneral request for informationinternational dispute
undiscussed mechanical edit

RegionEuropeglobalUSA
India
Germany
worldwide
Sea of Japan
North America
Germany
Korea
India
AfricaEuropeEurope
Germany
RussiaEuropeSouth America
EuropeUruguay
Turkmenistan
UkraineKazhakstan
Macedonia
TurkeyWorldwideEuropeUSA
North America
USAGreece
AfricaRussiaWorldwideEuropeEurope

Actionadvice given
advice given”changeset commented, reverted”
reverted
advice given”block issued, reverted””changeset commented, reverted”
advice given
block issued”block issued, reverted”
advice given
reverted
advice given
redactedredacted
block issued
advice given
advice given
advice given
hiding of notes or comments
reverted
advice given
block issued
reverted
In Progress
block issued
advice given”advice given, changeset commented”
reverted”block issued, changeset commented, reverted”
revertedrevertedno action needed
no action needed
revertedreverted3Created2017/04/22
2017/04/23
2017/04/23
2017/04/24
2017/04/24
2017/04/24
2017/04/24
2017/04/25
2017/04/27
2017/04/27
2017/04/27
2017/04/30
2017/04/30
2017/05/01
2017/05/02
2017/05/05
2017/05/06
2017/05/07
2017/05/08
2017/05/08
2017/05/10
2017/05/10
2017/05/12
2017/05/12
2017/05/12
2017/05/13
2017/05/13
2017/05/15
2017/05/15
2017/05/16
2017/05/17
2017/05/17
2017/05/18
2017/05/18
2017/05/19
2017/05/19
2017/05/22
2017/05/22

Type
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessgeneral request for information
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
non-international external complaint about data
import from potentially incompatible source
spam or poor mapping
import from potentially incompatible source
request for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessgeneral request for information
user conflict and non-responsiveness
request for technical help e.g. revert
spam or poor mapping
international disputenon-international external complaint about data
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mappingspam 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
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
international dispute
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping

RegionGermany
RussiaUkraineEuropeNorth America
EuropeSwitzerland
Australia
WorldwideEuropeUSAUSA
CrimeaGermany
GlobalCrimeaUSA
None
EuropeUSA
GreeceUnited Kingdom
EuropeRussiaAfricaEuropeCzech RepublicHungary
RussiaNetherlands
Australasia
RussiaScotlandRussiaCzech Republic
Western Africa
North AmericaEuropeAction
block issued
changeset commented
no action needed
advice given
block issued
block issued”redacted, reverted””advice given, reverted”
revertedhiding of notes or commentschangeset commented
hiding of notes or comments
block issued”advice given, block issued, reverted”
no action needed
revertedreverted
advice given
advice given
reverted”block issued, reverted”
block issued
changeset commented
block issued
advice givenno action needed
advice given”block issued, hiding of notes or comments”
advice given
advice given
block issued”block issued, reverted”
hiding of notes or comments
advice given
advice given
advice given
advice given
advice given

4Created2017/05/23
2017/05/23
2017/05/24
2017/05/25
2017/05/25
2017/05/26
2017/05/26
2017/05/29
2017/05/30
2017/05/30
2017/05/31
2017/06/03
2017/06/05
2017/06/05
2017/06/05
2017/06/06
2017/06/06
2017/06/07
2017/06/07
2017/06/07
2017/06/08
2017/06/08
2017/06/10
2017/06/11
2017/06/12
2017/06/13
2017/06/16
2017/06/16
2017/06/17
2017/06/18
2017/06/18
2017/06/20
2017/06/21
2017/06/22
2017/06/22
2017/06/22
2017/06/23
2017/06/23

Type
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
otheruser conflict and non-responsiveness
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mapping
request for technical help e.g. revert
otheruser conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsiveness
undiscussed or other problematic import
API misuse
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
international dispute
request to remove personal data
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
general request for information
spam or poor mapping
general request for information
user conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessspam or poor mapping
request for technical help e.g. revert
request to remove personal data
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mapping

RegionEuropeGermany
EuropePolandEurope
United Kingdom
Asia
EuropeUK
Italy
Australia
EuropeEurope
Worldwide
Asia
USA
China
BrasilEuropeUnited States
GlobalWorldwide
Germany
Asia
England
Asia
Asia
GlobalWorldwide
USAEuropeEuropeEurope
RussiaSwitzerland
EuropeEurope
RussiaAction”changeset commented, reverted”
block issued
block issued
advice given
block issued
hiding of notes or comments
advice given
advice given
advice given
block issued
changeset commented
advice given
advice given
block issued
advice given
reverted
block issued
block issued
hiding of notes or comments”block issued, reverted”
advice given
advice given
block issued
revertedreverted
advice given
advice given
advice given
advice given
advice given
advice given
block issued
advice given”block issued, changeset commented”
revertedhiding of notes or comments
advice given
block issued

Created
2017/06/23
2017/06/24
2017/06/25
2017/06/25
2017/06/26
2017/06/27
2017/06/28
2017/06/30
2017/06/30

Type
spam or poor mapping
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessuser conflict and non-responsivenessinternational dispute
spam or poor mappinguser conflict and non-responsivenessinternational dispute
spam or poor mapping

RegionNederland
USAEuropeEuropeEurope
Asia
Austria
EuropeUSA

Actionblock issued”changeset commented, reverted”
advice given
block issued
advice given
hiding of notes or comments
block issued
advice given
advice given

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 Group6