Publication & Access
Publication metadata determines what data is visible, when it is shared, and under what conditions. It is the mechanism that keeps publication aligned with contributor permissions, governance systems, and responsible data practice.
Fields
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
publish_status | Visibility status of the record | public |
publish_notes | Explanation for restrictions or conditions | Pending validation |
Logic
Publication is staged, and the stages are tied to designation status.
| Designation status | Publication status |
|---|---|
| 1–2 | Draft / restricted |
| 3–5 | Eligible for public release |
Why it Matters
Responsibility
Staging publication prevents sensitive data from being exposed before it should be, respects contributor decisions, and keeps the platform aligned with the governance systems the data came from.
Sovereignty
For Collective Lands this is not a formality. Communities may define what can be shared, data may be restricted or only partially visible, and publication may depend on a consent process rather than a validation step. See Data Sovereignty and Control.
Openness
At the same time, publication metadata is what makes openness workable: it lets the Atlas share validated data where appropriate, produce public datasets and indicators, and draw a clear line between what is public and what is not.
Workflows
Publication status connects directly to validation processes, data hosting and releases, and user access within the platform — so it is less a label than a control.
In Practice
Publication status is assigned during validation. Records can move from draft to public as circumstances change, and some will remain restricted indefinitely. That is the intended behavior, not a gap in coverage.