February 10-14, 2025 marks Love Data Week, an international celebration of data held each year during the week of Valentine’s Day. Universities, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and individuals are encouraged to participate. The 2025 theme is Whose Data Is It, Anyway? 

In an era where information flows freely online, it’s easy to assume that all data is just there for the taking. Part of the role of researchers is we need to ask: Whose data is it, really? 

While the internet and online resources have revolutionized knowledge-sharing, not all data can be accessed or handled the same way. Some datasets are protected by copyright, privacy laws, or ethical restrictions, and even freely available data comes with responsibilities. For example, citations aren’t just academic formalities; they acknowledge the labor behind research and ensure transparency. Also, data management isn’t just about organizing spreadsheets—it’s about ethical stewardship. So whether you’re publishing your own findings or pulling from existing sources, remember: access to data, whether open or proprietary,  requires accountability

In addition to considering “who’s data is it anyway” with regards to rights to reuse, thinking about a dataset in the context of its creation can help you understand its potential limitations as far as the process and aims of the original data collection. For example, understanding the socio-political context surrounding the US Census that leads to some groups being undercounted is important if you will be using data about those populations.

Before using any dataset, utilize this quick checklist:

• Ownership & Source – Who collected the data? Is it public, proprietary, or protected?
• Usage Rights – What are the terms of use? Do you need permission or a license?
• Privacy & Ethics – Does the dataset contain sensitive or personally identifiable information?
• Citation & Credit – How should the data be attributed? Does it require a DOI or specific format?
• Long-Term Access – Will the data remain available, or does it have restrictions on future use?

If you need support in answering the above questions from the checklist – Ask Us!  

The library has data experts who can support your use of data. Additionally if you need help creating, locating, or using a data set, people in the Colby Libraries and Academic ITS are available to support you.  Contact us at AskUs!

Interested in learning more? Explore these resources:

• International Love Data Week
• About Data Literacy – Courses
• Data Guide for Resources
• Resources for Working With Data