Data that offers free access, distribution, and usage is known as ___ data.

Open data refers to data that is freely available for anyone to access, use, and distribute without restrictions. This approach promotes transparency, innovation, and collaboration by allowing individuals and organizations to utilize the data for various purposes, such as research, analysis, and application development.

Many governments and organizations publish open data to enhance public engagement and foster a data-driven culture. The principles governing open data emphasize that it should be machine-readable, non-discriminatory, and available in a format that facilitates usage by the public.

In contrast, private, licensed, and proprietary data are characterized by access restrictions. Private data is typically restricted to certain individuals or organizations, licensed data requires payment or adherence to specific terms for use, and proprietary data is owned by an individual or company and is not available for public use without permission. Therefore, open data stands out as the model that emphasizes accessibility and freedom of use.