The nature of public data is that it is information that can be freely shared, used, reused, and redistributed without restrictions. Public data includes a wide range of formats and sizes, such as datasets, statistics, processed structured data, and raw unstructured data. It is typically made available by government bodies, corporations, or other organizations and can be accessed on websites or through specific requests like Freedom of Information Acts
. Public data differs from private data in that it does not require protection or authorization for access, making it openly accessible to anyone. This openness enables its use for research, analysis, decision-making, and advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, public data may still have some limitations, for example, to protect personal privacy, national security, or intellectual property rights
. Public data is also distinct from open data, which is a subset of public data that is more accessible, structured, well-maintained, and easier to understand and consume. Open data is often published under open licenses to allow anyone to use, edit, and share it freely. Only a small percentage of public data qualifies as open data, which is commonly found on government portals in preformatted, structured formats
. In summary, public data is publicly available information that supports transparency, governance, and innovation, with varying degrees of accessibility and structure depending on its classification as public or open data
