Data ownership mirrors mineral rights. Companies often lose practical control of their data to consultants and contractors, shifting from “owner to client” status.
The Problem
Consider an environmental case where a client faced significant fees to retrieve their own raw data after already paying for collection, analysis, and reporting services. This dynamic creates “recurring revenue” incentives that prioritize data control over client value.
The Solution
For data owners: maintain database ownership and grant contractors temporary access instead.
For service providers: build relationships through superior insights and actionable recommendations rather than restricting data portability.
Data rights will one day be guarded as closely as mineral rights. Companies should reclaim ownership of information they funded.