{"id":1812,"date":"2020-08-20T05:00:02","date_gmt":"2020-08-20T13:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/?p=1812"},"modified":"2020-08-20T05:00:02","modified_gmt":"2020-08-20T13:00:02","slug":"practicing-lean-data-and-defending-lean-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2020\/08\/20\/practicing-lean-data-and-defending-lean-data\/","title":{"rendered":"Practicing Lean Data and Defending \u201cLean Data\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>At Mozilla, we put privacy first. We do this in our own products with features like <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/blog\/2019\/09\/03\/todays-firefox-blocks-third-party-tracking-cookies-and-cryptomining-by-default\/\">tracking protection<\/a>. We also promote privacy in our <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/category\/privacy\/\">public advocacy<\/a>. A key feature of our privacy work is a commitment to reducing the amount of user data that is collected in the first place. Focusing on the data you really need lowers risk and promotes trust. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mozilla.org\/en-US\/about\/policy\/lean-data\/\">Lean Data Practices<\/a> page describes this framework and includes tools and tips for staying lean. For years, our legal and policy teams have held workshops <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2018\/12\/21\/privacy-in-practice-mozilla-talks-lean-data-in-india\/\">around the world<\/a>, advising businesses on how they can use lean data practices to reduce their data footprint and improve the privacy of their products and services.<\/p>\n<p>Mozilla is not the only advocate for lean data. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/danielnewman\/2019\/12\/04\/bigger-isnt-always-better-its-all-about-lean-data\/#1144411d8940\">Many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ssir.org\/articles\/entry\/the_power_of_lean_data\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/schedule.sxsw.com\/2018\/events\/PP99721\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/institute.eib.org\/2018\/03\/the-power-of-lean-data\/\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bloomberg.com\/professional\/blog\/four-core-principles-mastering-lean-data-management\/\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/media-network\/media-network-blog\/2013\/apr\/16\/big-data-lean-strategy-business\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartdatacollective.com\/lean-data-management-vital-agile-companies\/\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ey.com\/en_gl\/purpose\/is-lean-data--not-big-data--the-answer-to-the-last-mile-distribu\">many<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/agiledata.org\/essays\/dataGovernance.html\">many<\/a> others use the term \u201clean data\u201d to refer to the principle of minimizing data collection. Given this, we were very surprised to receive a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/files\/2020\/08\/LEANDATA-LTR-to-Mozilla-Corporation.pdf\">demand letter<\/a> from lawyers representing LeanData, Inc. claiming that Mozilla\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mozilla.org\/en-US\/about\/policy\/lean-data\/\">Lean Data Practices<\/a> page infringes the company\u2019s supposed trademark rights. We have responded to this letter to stand up for everyone\u2019s right to use the words \u201clean data\u201d in digital advocacy.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/files\/2020\/08\/Mozilla-Response-to-LeanData.pdf\">Our response to LeanData<\/a> explains that it cannot claim ownership of a descriptive term such as \u201clean data.\u201d In fact, when we investigated its trademark filings we discovered that the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) had repeatedly rejected the company\u2019s attempts to register a wordmark that covered the term. The USPTO has cited numerous sources, including the very Mozilla <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mozilla.org\/en-US\/about\/policy\/lean-data\/\">page<\/a> LeanData accused of infringing, as evidence that \u201clean data\u201d is descriptive. Also, the registration for LeanData\u2019s logo cited in the company\u2019s letter to Mozilla was recently cancelled (and it wouldn\u2019t cover the words \u201clean data\u201d in any event). LeanData\u2019s demand is without merit.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/files\/2020\/08\/Ltr-re-Mozilla-re-Response-to-LEANDATA-Letter-R.pdf\">In a follow-up letter<\/a>, LeanData, Inc. acknowledged that it does not have any currently registered marks on \u201clean data.\u201d LeanData\u2019s lawyer suggested, however, the company will continue to pursue its application for a \u201cLeanData\u201d wordmark. We believe the USPTO should, and will, continue to reject this application. Important public policy discussions must be free from intellectual property overreach. Scholars, engineers, and commentators should be allowed to use a descriptive term like \u201clean data\u201d to describe a key digital privacy principle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>At Mozilla, we put privacy first. We do this in our own products with features like tracking protection. We also promote privacy in our public advocacy. A key feature of &hellip; <a class=\"go\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2020\/08\/20\/practicing-lean-data-and-defending-lean-data\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1702,"featured_media":1456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[525,847],"tags":[327286],"coauthors":[327283],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Practicing Lean Data and Defending \u201cLean Data\u201d - Open Policy &amp; Advocacy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2020\/08\/20\/practicing-lean-data-and-defending-lean-data\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Daniel Nazer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2020\/08\/20\/practicing-lean-data-and-defending-lean-data\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/blog.mozilla.org\/netpolicy\/2020\/08\/20\/practicing-lean-data-and-defending-lean-data\/\",\"name\":\"Practicing Lean Data and Defending \u201cLean Data\u201d - Open Policy &amp; 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