broaduse

Broaduse is a term used in policy and licensing discussions to describe rights or licenses that permit broad use of a resource—such as software, data, or creative works—often with minimal restrictions. It is not the name of a specific, legal license, but a descriptive label for arrangements that aim to maximize accessibility and reusability.

Origin and scope: The term emerges in debates about open access, open data, and open-source ecosystems. It contrasts with narrow-use terms that limit redistribution, modification, or commercial use. In practice, broad-use discussions focus on licensing terms, attribution requirements, and restrictions on derivative works.

Contexts and examples: In software, broad-use may describe permissive licenses that allow wide redistribution and modification with few obligations beyond attribution. In data and content, licenses or policies described as broad use may permit copying, redistribution, and integration into new works, including commercial uses, with varying attribution or share-alike requirements. Public-domain-like licenses and data commons are typical references.

Limitations: Because "broad use" is descriptive rather than a formal designation, the exact rights depend on the specific license text and jurisdiction. Some agreements labeled as broad use still impose limits—such as privacy protections, moral rights, or non-endorsement clauses.

See also: open data, open license, permissive software license, public domain, fair use.