Abstract
Digital commons such as open source software (OSS) are community-developed resources which can be used by anyone. Adopting digital commons can save governments money, increase interoperability for public services and digital infrastructure, and enhance a nation’s digital sovereignty by reducing its dependence on Big Tech proprietary products, so that technical decisions are based on local laws, norms and values.
This guide aims to provide interested policymakers and public service officials with best practices to support digital commons projects. It makes 23 recommendations for government, including in the areas of:
+ Auditing: conduct an assessment of their nation’s digital sovereignty, measuring its dependence on foreign IT companies.
+ Avoiding duplication: Create a public sector software catalogues to foster reuse within the public sector to avoid duplication
+ Education policy: Ensure there is adequate and appropriate study of open source at different levels of the education system, as part of an effort to upskill the workforce in key competencies for future industries.
+ Industrial policy: bringing the country’s digital commoners together and addressing market failure in the realm of software security
+ Open source software funding and public service policies
+ Procurement
+ Trust: when governments rely on digital commons communities to elaborate solutions against emergencies, clear communication is key to build public trust in the solution.
This guide aims to provide interested policymakers and public service officials with best practices to support digital commons projects. It makes 23 recommendations for government, including in the areas of:
+ Auditing: conduct an assessment of their nation’s digital sovereignty, measuring its dependence on foreign IT companies.
+ Avoiding duplication: Create a public sector software catalogues to foster reuse within the public sector to avoid duplication
+ Education policy: Ensure there is adequate and appropriate study of open source at different levels of the education system, as part of an effort to upskill the workforce in key competencies for future industries.
+ Industrial policy: bringing the country’s digital commoners together and addressing market failure in the realm of software security
+ Open source software funding and public service policies
+ Procurement
+ Trust: when governments rely on digital commons communities to elaborate solutions against emergencies, clear communication is key to build public trust in the solution.
Original language | English |
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Place of Publication | Canberra |
Publisher | Digital Commons Policy Council |
Number of pages | 58 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781740885829 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781740885836 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2 Sept 2024 |