Btw, I really love this line in it (emphasis added)

Don't do anything prohibited by the Rules and *talk to us* if you think we
should make a change or give you an exception.

We'll never get everything right at first. Or, ever. I could imagine a
similar positive feedback loop for Gov API ToS' that hyperlink a similar
line right back here for future potential edits.


On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 3:13 PM, Noah Kunin - Q0B <noah.kunin@gsa.gov> wrote:

> Twitter now calls what was their API ToS the "Developer Rules of the Road"
> instead.
>
> https://dev.twitter.com/terms/api-terms
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 4, 2014 at 9:02 AM, Ben Balter <notifications@github.com>wrote:
>
>> In developer_tos/vanilla_tos.md:
>>
>> > @@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
>> > +# API Terms of Service Agreement
>> > +
>> > +The U.S. AGENCY ("AGENCY") offers some of its public data in machine-readable format through an API, a service located at https://open.AGENCY.gov. Use of the data made available via the API is generally unrestricted (see "Data Rights and Usage"). However, the service through which we make that data available is offered subject to your acceptance of the terms and conditions contained herein as well as any relevant sections of the AGENCY Website Policies (http://www.AGENCY.gov/WebsitePolicies/default.htm).
>> > +
>> > +## Scope
>> > +The service ("API" , or Application Programming Interface) through which you may access AGENCY public data is subject to these terms. Use of the API constitutes acceptance to this Agreement.
>> > +
>> > +## Data Rights and Usage
>> > +Unless otherwise noted, the content, data, documentation, code, and related materials associated with the API is public domain and made available with a Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode) dedication. In short, AGENCY waives all rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. You can copy, modify, distribute, and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. AGENCY makes no warranties about the work, and disclaims liability for all uses of the work, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
>> > +
>> > +Some data from the API may not be public domain, such as copies of copyrightable works made available to the AGENCY by private entities. AGENCY may make these works available under the fair use provision of the Copyright Act or as a result of regulatory directives. Therefore, your rights to use those works may be similarly limited. Works where CC0 do not apply will be clearly marked by a warning in the relevant documentation (for example: "This data is not in the public domain. Third party copy rights may apply.").
>> > +
>> > +### Attribution
>> > +While not required, when using content, data, documentation, code, and related materials associated with the API in your own work, we ask that proper credit be given.
>>
>>  You can achieve number 1 (managing user expectations) most simply by
>> just stating any restrictions that exist.
>>
>> Totally agree, strawman aside, if you keep reading, "it's that we want to
>> enable developers to do cool stuff with the data, and all that that
>> entails. The end goal is data consumption."
>>
>> Would changing the title of the document from "terms of service" to
>> "usage guidelines" or "using our API" assuage your concerns?
>>
>> --
>> Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub<https://github.com/GSA/API-Resources/pull/11/files#r11293583>
>> .
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Noah Kunin | @noahkunin <http://twitter.com/noahkunin> | @18f<https://twitter.com/18F>
>



-- 
Noah Kunin | @noahkunin <http://twitter.com/noahkunin> |
@18f<https://twitter.com/18F>