> Public data is an asset. Private data is a liability.
I think, more precisely:
Useful data is an asset. Legally sensitive (e.g., because of privacy laws) data is a liability. Those categories overlap, and data in the overlap may be a net asset or a net liability depending on the specific utility it provides balanced against the costs (both certain compliance costs and risks) associated with the specific legal protections.
This isn't really unusual -- the same thing is true of pretty much everything a business (or individual) might own. Real estate, for instance, is an asset to the extent that it is useful, but owning (or even possessing as a tenant) real estate comes with certain maintenance costs and liability-related risks.
I think, more precisely:
Useful data is an asset. Legally sensitive (e.g., because of privacy laws) data is a liability. Those categories overlap, and data in the overlap may be a net asset or a net liability depending on the specific utility it provides balanced against the costs (both certain compliance costs and risks) associated with the specific legal protections.
This isn't really unusual -- the same thing is true of pretty much everything a business (or individual) might own. Real estate, for instance, is an asset to the extent that it is useful, but owning (or even possessing as a tenant) real estate comes with certain maintenance costs and liability-related risks.