Why Open Data Isn’t Really Open: Navigating Licenses in Geospatial with Mina Nada

Open data is supposed to unlock innovation, but what happens when “open” isn’t really open?

In this episode of The Spatial Stack, I sit down with return guest Mina Nada to explore the world of open data licenses — from Creative Commons to Open Database Licenses and beyond. We break down what these licenses actually allow you to do, where the pitfalls are, and how they impact anyone building geospatial products, tools, or services.

Along the way, Mina shares real-world experiences navigating licensing challenges, from NASA’s permissive CC0 approach to the more restrictive “share-alike” models. Whether you’re a developer, analyst, or entrepreneur, this conversation will help you understand how to work with open data without running into legal or business roadblocks.

If you’ve ever wondered what “open data” really means for your projects, this is the episode to listen to.

The future is spatial — so let’s get into it.