This document discusses several key issues surrounding the sharing of scientific data: 1. There are complex legal issues around copyright and databases, as facts themselves are not protected but there may be creative expression. Protection also depends on jurisdiction. 2. There are social issues around control and a "culture of control" versus promoting freedom. Scientists may see data as "theirs" and fear loss of control or interpretation. 3. The document proposes a solution of reconstructing the public domain through a protocol that promotes legal certainty and predictability while being easy to use and imposing low transaction costs. The protocol would involve waiving all rights necessary for reuse and extraction of data.