Licensing Working Group/Minutes/2026-07-13
OpenStreetMap Foundation, Licensing Working Group (LWG) - Agenda & Minutes
13 July 2026, 17:00 UTC
Approved during the 2026-08-17 LWG meeting.
Participants
- Kathleen Lu (Chairing)
- Tom Lee
Absent
- Simon Hughes
- Dermot McNally
Administrative
Adoption of past minutes
Minutes by Dorothea Kazazi.
Any updates on reported attribution cases?
Reports in OTRS:
- Ticket#2021081210000057 printed maps with false copyright
- Ticket#2022011910000082 interparcel.com: Dermot emailed them on 10th Nov, no reply
- Ticket#2022012610000149 poster.printmijnstad.nl/editor/city
- Ticket#2022033010000217
- complaint that Aberdeen city council may not be attributing correctly – Aberdeen city council consultation
- Note that Aberdeen credits Ordnance Survey, so possible OS is using OSM as one of many sources and the full attribution is not getting carried through
- Ticket#2022032710000125 - Evri parcelshop finder
- Hermes UK changed name to evri. So this is an old issue.
- Ticket#2022062610000078 -
- Härryda, Sweden, uses OpenStreetMap for an app they developed. Inside the app there are no license references to OSM.
- You can see the app on the Google Apps store here: Google Play Store app listing
- Ticket#2021120810000146 mondialrelay.fr not attributing correctly
- Ticket#2022120510000177 — Club Vosgien complaint – any reply?
Board items
Hotelmap.com
| Email shared by the LWG |
|---|
| Dear LWG, We sent this notice to Hotelmap.com a couple of weeks ago. We got no notice from them. I see this case as specifically problematic, as Hotelmap.com is deliberately changing Mapbox's attribution to hide OSM and add their own. I noticed the issue, as it's the official booking site for the Geospatial World Forum. Best, Héctor Dear team at Hotelmap.com, We have noticed you are using OpenStreetMap-based tiles for the map background. Based on your page, it appears you are using Mapbox (I have checked this page https://hotelmap.com/MG968). We are happy that you use OpenStreetMap-based tiles in your application and welcome your use of them through a third-party service like Mapbox. However, using OSM data through a third party still requires citing the source of the map style and map data. We have noticed that this attribution is not present in Hotelmap.com. Mapbox provides guidance on its website (https://docs.mapbox.com/help/dive-deeper/attribution/) on how to attribute a map using its libraries and styles, including OSM-based ones. In addition, OpenStreetMap has a copyright page with more information on how to cite OSM data-based maps: https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright. If you require any clarification, we would be happy to assist. Héctor Ochoa Ortiz¹ |
Tom Lee has reached out on March 6. As of May 11, no reply.
Tom Lee to follow up again.
Redacted topic. From DWG via legal@
Related to Ticket#2026062110000187.
Discussed for 14 minutes.
Any followup to the ChatGPT issue?
| Email shared by the LWG |
|---|
| Dear LWG,
I got sent this Mastodon toot (Mastodon post), warning that ChatGPT uses Mapbox basemaps (which then use OSM data) without attribution. I have tried this myself with this query ChatGPT query, checked areas I usually map for confirmation that the basemap matches (it does), and also checked through the network requests that indeed, the tiles are fetched from Mapbox. [screenshot attached] Given that ChatGPT is widely used nowadays, I believe we have to try extra hard to ensure they cite its basemap correctly. I found this form: Copyright dispute form Should I fill it out, or should we contact them another way? I wanted to contact you as LWG before going ahead myself. If there is no complaint from your side in a week's time, I will send myself. Mapbox has an attribution guide we can point to in the request: Mapbox attribution guide [screenshot attached] |
Queries to legal-questions
Large copyright infringement (Dopper - water taps) - Ticket#2025040310000645
| Email shared by the LWG | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am a long-time french OSM contributor, and I've been using Google Maps lately (I know, it's bad) for a hiking trip. I found out that a brand named "Dopper" (Dopper website) has imported 130.000+ water tap POI from OpenStreetMap on Google Maps in Europe, in order to promote their water bottles.
Although I can't confirm that the 130 000 POIs have been "stolen" from OSM, 100% of those that I have checked have the exact same coordinates (even when the water tap doesn't exist anymore) on Google Maps and OSM. Here are a few examples:
Of course, they also use an OSM-based map on their website without attribution (Dopper tap map), which reference all the water taps (same coordinates than OSM). Even if I can't prove that Dopper has been adding all of these water taps to the map, every Google Maps POI has a link to their website, and they have communicated on this marketing campaign on internet : Localyse case study / Le Vie article / La Poste Hub article.. Were you aware of this Thank you in advance for your help, 15 June - Dermot sent letter to Dopper 11 August: Dermot's draft letter for Google (version 2): Our contributor is concerned that many of the locations in question have been sourced from OpenStreetMap, citing identical geographical co-ordinates to many decimal places. This would represent a breach of OpenStreetMap's Open Database Licence (ODbL), which requires attribution of source and sharealike. We assume that the import of such data into Google Maps would additionally violate your own requirements in terms of permitted data sources. We have made a good faith attempt to contact Dopper so that they can address these issues, but the available communications channels have not resulted in a response. We therefore feel that it is appropriate to make you aware of the issue so that you can act appropriately to ensure that both your terms and ours are being upheld. To illustrate the apparent OSM-sourcing, our contributor provided some examples of locations with matching co-ordinates:
We would be happy to be of any assistance possible in this matter. Kathleen emailed Eric Dickinson (product counsel for Google Maps), who replied that he would look into it. Previous action item: Dermot to check with original mapper on providing additional examples, if possible. Previous action item: Kathleen to provide copy of analysis to Google.' Done on 25 January 2026. Dermot had replied to the original correspondent asking for additional examples of problematic data. Dermot tried to find Dopper's contact information - they have not responded to his message via their webform. Dermot might have emailed service@dopper.nl or info@dopper.nl and got redirected to the webform. Will check.
Other points mentioned during discussion
Previous action items
Google seems to have removed Dopper as a source | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LWG internal reference: View ticket #65356 |
EVRI delivery company using OSM without attribution? - Ticket#2026010610000189
| Email shared by the LWG |
|---|
| is this substantial or not
(Screenshot attached) Their main map is missing attribution: Evri parcelshop finder They are using these service: Vectorine Previous LWG updates: Previous action item: Tom Lee to reach out to Vectorine regarding compliance to ODbL, and if that doesn't work, to Evri. Tom Lee reached out March 31, received word that EVRI acknowledged need for attribution Note: Also related to Ticket#2022032710000125 - Evri parcelshop finder – attribution problems in multiple places Tom in conversation with Vectorine dev... |
| LWG internal reference: View ticket #77004 |
Not discussed.
Any other business
Canada: British Columbia municipalities whose OGL compatibility with ODbL is unconfirmed - Ticket#2026052510000056
| Email shared by the LWG |
|---|
I noticed a few entries on the Canada Wiki page have not yet been confirmed by the LWG, and many municipalities are missing. I've gone through and found the municipalities with open data portals, compiling them below for review.
Derived from OGL-BC
Derived from OGL-Ottawa
Derived from OGL-Canada 2.0Please let me know if any further information is needed.' |
| LWG internal reference: View ticket #84498 |
https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/OGL_Canada_and_local_variants
Action item
Dermot to reply that they all look good, except one which one was not accessible and Revelstoke, where it is suggested to check with the municipality.
Note from Kathleen: This has been added to the page, though the markdown <> wiki formatting broke and I have not had time to try to fix it.
Formatting is fixed!
UK trigpoints import proposal - Ticket#2026062410000538
| Email shared by the LWG |
|---|
| Hello legal team,
I'm in the process of making an import proposal for 'UK trigpoints' with data being extracted from two files provided by the Ordnance Survey (OS). afaict there should be no license issue, but I need to get formal approval in place, and given on this page: https://osmfoundation.org/wiki/Licence/Licence_Compatibility#Open_Government_Licence_(OGL)_based_licences there are warnings about ensuring OGL licensed data does not contain any 3rd party other-licensed information as well... I thought I should approach you. Here are the details: The two data files I am using are the OS Trigpoint Station CSV from this page: Similarly, I am also using the OS Benchmark CSV from: As far as I can tell, all data within those files comes directly from the OS, and there is no 3rd party information, but here are the details of the fields from those files that I am currently extracting and processing and/or that would end up stored in OSM node: Trigpoints:
Benchmarks:
-- extract Flush Bracket numbers - which will be stored in OSM nodes. Back in 2016, user GregRS emailed the OS for confirmation of the license type - the request and (positive) response can be found at: I also note that the OS is already attributed on the OSM contributors list: https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright In case you need them, this is the link to the current conversation I am having with the GB OSM community: https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk-gb/2026-June/032147.html And my current work on data crunching can be found on my github: https://github.com/grahamwhaley/OSM_UK_trigpoints I also have local drafts of the import wiki page and community emails mostly ready if they are of any help. If there is any more information I can provide or expand on then do not hesitate to ask. |
| LWG internal reference: View ticket #86397 |
Kathleen to reply that this appears compatible.
Done.
Lizensverstoß, Flyer without attribution - Ticket#2026062010000125
| Email shared by the LWG |
|---|
| Machine translation: Hello. Today, I received a flyer from what it claims to be a non-NGO that features a map based on OSM data. Unfortunately, there is no indication of the source or the license. See the attachment for images. Should I contact the copyright holder myself?
DE: Hallo. Mir wurde am heutigen Tag ein Flyer einer (nach eigenen Aussagen) Nicht-NGO zugetragen, auf der eine Karte aus OSM Daten verwendet wird. Leider fehlt jeglicher Hinweis auf die Herkunft und die Lizenz. Bilder siehe Anhang. Sollte ich selbst den Urheber darüber informieren? Perhaps someone can respond to him in German that since OSM was clearly attributed, enabling him to find us, it's sufficient? |
| LWG internal link: View ticket #86157 |
Tom Lee to follow up.
2026 LWG meeting times
Jan 12, at 18:00 UTC
Feb 09, at 18:00 UTC
Mar 09, at 18:00 UTC (US switch Mar 8, Europe switch Mar 29) (11am PDT/2pm EDT for US attendees)
Apr 20, at 17:00 UTC
May 11, at 17:00 UTC
Jun 08, at 17:00 UTC
Jul 13, at 17:00 UTC
Aug 17, at 17:00 UTC
Sep 14, at 17:00 UTC
Oct 19, at 17:00 UTC
Nov 16, at 18:00 UTC (same as normal hours for everyone)
Dec 14, at 18:00 UTC
Meeting adjourned 37' minutes after start.