datalåshed

Datalåshed is a term used to describe the state in which data is effectively locked behind barriers that restrict access, use, or transfer. The concept is employed in debates about data governance, privacy, and interoperability to describe how various controls can reduce data portability and increase dependence on a single data steward or platform.

Mechanisms of datalåshed include technical controls such as proprietary data formats and encryption that hinder export, legal arrangements like restrictive licenses and non-disclosure terms, economic incentives that favor incumbent platforms, and policy or contractual measures that create fragmented standards and restricted APIs. These factors can reinforce data silos.

Implications of datalåshed include reduced data portability and hindered research, innovation, and competition. While some forms of access control can improve security and privacy, excessive lock-in can limit interoperability, raise switching costs for users, and complicate compliance with data‑portability rights under laws such as the EU General Data Protection Regulation.

Policy responses often emphasize open standards, data portability requirements, and technical measures such as documented APIs and machine-readable licensing to reduce datalåshed. Critics argue that balance is needed between security, privacy, and access, and that overly aggressive measures can undermine data stewardship and vendor innovation.