Why Open Data

Oz is a response to the perverse data collection incentives observed in real-world industry.

The value of data goes well beyond hype. Many of the most profitable organizations in the world owe their profit margins to their ability to control access to it.

But what about the people who can't afford to pay?

• In cybersecurity, access to threat intelligence signals is restricted leading to preventable cyberattacks

• In medicine, access to patient data is restricted, harming our understanding of drugs and diseases and leading to potential loss of life

• In commerce, access to ad targeting data is restricted, leading to small businesses paying a significant premium for ad targeting and harming their growth

Transmitting data is virtually free. If a business withholds access to information that can benefit the public, they are acting against the best interest of the common good.

We're building the first data replication protocol - a resource that aims to eliminate monopoly data hoarding by opening access to the most valuable datasets.