use of OpenStreetMap data without attribution (attributed to Mapbox in master version)

[matkoniecz]

Summary:

OpenStreetMap data requires attribution to be used and this attribution is missing, at least on my phone.

Steps to reproduce:

Start app, switch to "nearby" tab with map without attribution.

Attribution hidden in settings also would be insufficient, but not even that is done.

Data is clearly from OpenStreetMap (with contour lines added) as confirmed by looking at data unique to OSM and not appearing elsewhere.

See https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright

System logs:

Not attempted, will add if missing attribution is something device-specific.

Device and Android version:

Mi A2 Lite, running stock Android Zero, in Android 9 version.

Commons app version:

2.12.3~dc08a5e88

Screen-shots:

Will add if problem will turn out to be device-specific.

Would you like to work on the issue?

I am not planning to do this, I have already more OpenStreetMap related plans that I am able to do and this is something that users of data are legally obligated to do.

More info

You are using OpenStreetMap data for displaying maps. Great and thanks for using this map data!

It is nice to see that you use what I (and thousands of other mappers) collected. But you are doing it without a required attribution, that according to the licence must be clearly visible to all users.

This is quite embarrassing, given that Wikimedia Commons community is generally excellent at respecting copyright and copyright like restrictions.

[maskaravivek]

Yes, unfortunately, the current production version of the app doesn't have attribution. It seems that the attribution got removed sometime before the last release.

It was present in the previous versions of the app. A lot of changes were done recently on the maps page because of which it might have got missed. See #2911 for reference.

Our latest master has the attribution present and I believe it would be released soon to production. cc @misaochan

Screenshots from latest master:

[matkoniecz]

It is great that it is better in master version.

But note that you are using OpenStreetMap data, hosted and styled by Mapbox.

Mapbox may have their own additional requirements.

But https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright requires notice associated with the map reasonably calculated to make any Person that views the map aware that content was obtained from the OpenStreetMap database.

It is requirement that cannot be modified or changed by Mapbox, and showing "Mapbox" is not fulfilling it. It must be attributed to OpenStreetMap (though Mapbox may be additionally credited for map styling and hosting).

Note section 4.3 of the Open Database License used by OpenStreetMap:

"include
a notice associated with the Produced Work reasonably calculated to
make any Person that uses, views, accesses, interacts with, or is
otherwise exposed to the Produced Work aware that Content was
obtained from the Database, Derivative Database, or the Database as
part of a Collective Database, and that it is available under this
License."

I know that what you show in this images it is apparently standard attribution proposed by Mapbox. But I hope that at least in this case proper attribution will be used (yes, I know that Moovit, Mapbox, FB, Snapchat are also hiding attribution and using OSM data anyway and describing maps in way suggesting that they collected data on their own).

[matkoniecz]

Using OpenStreetMap data and using "Mapbox" as an attribution is like taking Wikimedia Commons image (on license requiring attribution) and using "author: internet" or "author: me, I found it with google" as an attribution.

Or to match it more exactly - hosting it on AWS and using "author: Amazon" as an attribution.

[maskaravivek]

Thanks for the detailed explanation @matkoniecz. We will fix it as soon as possible.

Currently when the (i) icon is clicked on the map, a dialog box appears as shown above. It shows (c) OpenStreetMap. Is it not the right way of attributing OpenStreetMap? Should the attribution be in the text on the map itself? As shown in this screenshot from the https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright page.

Tagging @neslihanturan as she is our designer. She might have ideas on how we could display proper attribution.

[matkoniecz]

(i) icon is clicked on the map, a dialog box appears as shown above. It shows (c) OpenStreetMap. Is it not the right way of attributing OpenStreetMap?

The problem is that

• it requires clicking on (i) icon while license requires attribution to be "reasonably calculated to make any Person that views the map aware"
  • and it is quite obvious that normal user will not click on every icon and therefore will never see it
• there is a big Mapbox logo and popup lists (c) Mapbox first
  • So normal user will see solely Mapbox attribution and even popup window is not clarifying situation
  • it is done in way suggesting that data is from Mapbox. As hosting is not copyright protected sole copyrightable work by Mapbox is map styling. All map data is (c) OpenStreetMap.

"(c) OpenStreetMap" is attribution fulfilling license. "(c) OpenStreetMap contributors" is suggested, but not required by license. For 100% compliance either linking to full license or mentioning ODBL would be nice.

But the major and fundamental problem is that OpenStreetMap attribution is effectively hidden, while clear Mapbox attribution is shown.

Note that you may be required to show Mapbox logo by their terms of service, so you may need to show both

• "(c) OpenStreetMap (ODBL)", "(c) OpenStreetMap", "(c) OpenStreetMap contributors" or other clearly visible attribution fulfilling license. This part must not be affected by Mapbox terms (though their design decision may make more complicated to apply proper attribution)
• Mapbox logo (one of perks of more expensive plan is that Mapbox is not requiring you to show Mapbox logo - note that Mapbox is unable to waive OpenStreetMap license)

disclaimer: I am not a lawyer, I am biased toward OpenStreetMap attribution as an OpenStreetMap mapper.

But I am pretty sure that "Mapbox" with hidden "(c) Mapbox (c) OpenStreetMap" is not making clear that all data is from OpenStreetMap.

And "reasonably calculated to make any Person that views the map aware (...)" is nor fulfilled by attribution hidden behind icon that normal user will never click.

[matkoniecz]

BTW, thanks for very quick reaction made by actual humans - unlike to some major corporations using OSM data without any attribution (or extremely poor one, designed to mislead user).

And I am blaming any confusion 100% on Mapbox that misleads its customers and makes unusually hard to properly attribute OpenStreetMap. With its website and documentation hiding knowledge that basically no data used in its products is Mapbox-owned and that clearly visible attribution to OpenStreetMap is required.

[matkoniecz]

I added this app to page listing entities using OpenStreetMap data without attribution - in https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/w/index.php?title=Lacking_proper_attribution&type=revision&diff=1997453&oldid=1997351

[maskaravivek]

Thanks for the detailed explanation. I will bump up this issue internally.

But the major and fundamental problem is that OpenStreetMap attribution is effectively hidden, while clear Mapbox attribution is shown.

Would you be able to point us to any app/website that correctly shows the Mapbox and OpenStreetMap attributions? I am requesting this from you with the assumption that you might have come across quite a few open source app that are using these maps.

Tagging few of our collaborators here:
@misaochan @nicolas-raoul @neslihanturan @sivaraam

[sivaraam]

Would you be able to point us to any app/website that correctly shows the Mapbox and OpenStreetMap attributions?

I think the info in the following page is a good start: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/They_are_using_OpenStreetMap

I'll let you know if I find something better.

[sivaraam]

I think the info in the following page is a good start: https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/They_are_using_OpenStreetMap

Mentioning the source for the sake of completeness:

See also They are using OpenStreetMap for rather correct attribution examples.

Source

[maskaravivek]

https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/They_are_using_OpenStreetMap

Thanks @sivaraam. It would be great if someone could check a few apps from this list and share a screenshot here of the map page from apps with proper attribution. It would be easier for anyone to pick up the fix that way.

[matkoniecz]

Would you be able to point us to any app/website that correctly shows the Mapbox and OpenStreetMap attributions? I am requesting this from you with the assumption that you might have come across quite a few open source app that are using these maps.

Sadly none of apps that I use is in Mapbox ecosystem, and all Mapbox clients that I know (FB, Snapchat and others) refuse to attribute OSM.

---

But from quick check https://foursquare.com/explore?mode=url&near=Gda%C5%84sk%2C%20Poland&nearGeoId=72057594041027370 website has OK attribution text, though "OpenStreetMap" should link to https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright

---

https://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/ (though I admit that phone styling suffers from too small text everywhere - but as it is not applied to just attribution I am OK with that, also for some reason wrong license is given).

Part applicable here with a fixed license would be "Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODBL), Imagery © Mapbox"