datatiedot

Datatiedot is a term used in Finnish information management to denote data about data, that is, descriptive information that characterizes data sets. In practice, datatiedot is commonly equated with metadata and includes attributes such as data type, source, ownership, creation and update dates, quality indicators, privacy level, and access permissions.

The term blends the Finnish word data with tiedot, meaning information, signaling its function as information about data rather than the data contents themselves.

Datatiedot serves multiple roles: enabling data discovery through catalogs, supporting data governance, and providing context for data consumers. It is essential for data lineage, impact analysis, regulatory compliance, and efficient data stewardship.

Common examples of datatiedot include data source, provenance, retention period, update frequency, responsible owner, data format and schema, data quality scores, and linkage to related datasets.

Although many organizations use datatiedot and metadata interchangeably, some definitions reserve metadata for technical descriptions and use datatiedot for broader business-oriented descriptions and ownership information.

Because datatiedot can contain information about access rights and privacy considerations, it is typically subject to governance controls and, where appropriate, privacy protections under regulations such as data protection laws.

See also: metadata, data governance, data catalog, data lineage.