London mapping data policy

I am concerned about decisions reportedly taken by Ordnance Survey to withhold mapping data of London from Google Inc. and/or its affiliates, thereby preventing the use of such data in facilitating virtual 3D buildings to appear on the internet programme Google Earth.

I am especially interested in any decisions taken to attempt to charge Google and its affiliates for the use of data and any contemporary analyses undertaken or views communicated of the drawbacks in preventing or discouraging the early appearance on Google Earth of 3D facsimiles of 2012 Olympics venues, buildings and facilities currently under construction.

I may wish to see all internal correspondence on the subject, or with Government Ministers or departmental officials, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), the Olympics Development Authority and the Office of the Mayor of London. 

However, to ensure a speedy reply and with a view to reducing whatever the workload in answering this FOI request might entail, I am prepared to limit my request in the first instance just to significant policy material on this topic, provided this is sufficiently definitive, explicit and comprehensive to enable a clear view to be formed of the issues.  

Thank you for your e-mail dated 27^th November 2010. Ordnance Survey does not hold policy material on this topic, and therefore does not hold the information you have requested.

Google™ have regularly licensed Ordnance Survey data and data created from Ordnance Survey data through one of our licensed partners.

It is possible the matter you are referring to is one which occurred in 2007, when a University College tried to supply Google with a 3D model of London, which had been created under contract for an Ordnance Survey licensee using data from Ordnance Survey and from a third party.  The University College was not licensed to pass on the Ordnance Survey data because the terms of their clients licence did not give the University College ‘any right to sublicense, distribute, sell or otherwise make Mapping and/or Data Products available to third parties’, and therefore we legitimately intervened.

We did, however, indicate that Google could apply to Ordnance Survey to licence the relevant data for use within our standard commercial licensing terms. Unfortunately, the matter did not reach a mutually satisfactory outcome as the licence terms required by Google were significantly different from Ordnance Survey’s standard terms under which the data was licensed to other users for comparable purposes.

As a government Trading Fund, Ordnance Survey is required to be accredited to, and operate within the Office of Public Sector Information’s “Information Fair Trader Scheme” (IFTS).  Ordnance Survey is also subject to both Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations (PSIR) and competition legislation.  These requirements mean that Ordnance Survey must treat similar uses of its data alike, and not offer bespoke terms that differentiate between licensees who are licensing the data for comparable purposes.

Please note that your enquiry has been processed according to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) 2000. If you are unhappy with our response, you may raise an appeal to our Appeals Officer at:

FOI Appeals Officer
Customer Service Centre
Ordnance Survey
Adanac Drive
SOUTHAMPTON
SO16 0AS

Please include the reference number below. The Appeals Officer will ensure that the process has been followed correctly, questioning any decisions taken regarding the original response and recommending disclosure of additional information if appropriate.

Thank you for your enquiry.

Reference number: FOI10121/November 2010