# What the law protects in a financial dataset > Under 5 of 10 legal texts read in GB and the US, the bare figures in a financial dataset stay free to copy, newest read 27 October 2026. Sell Financial Data To AI · https://sellfinancialdatatoai.com/datasets/financial-data-ownership-law/ · computed 2026-10-27 **Instruments under which the figures stay free:** 5 of 10 instruments (17 texts read; 24 named). ## The answers, question by question - **What it protects or permits:** a permission to reuse public records 3, the original selection or arrangement, never the facts 3, information kept secret that has value because it is secret 2, the investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents 1, not stated 1 - **Are the bare figures themselves free to copy:** yes, the figures are free 5, not stated 4, no, taking a substantial part needs consent 1 - **Commercial use under it:** not stated 6, allowed 2, needs the owner's consent 1, non-commercial only 1 - **How long it lasts:** not stated 8, stated 2 ## Every instrument | Instrument | What it protects or permits | Are the bare figures themselves free to copy | Commercial use under it | How long it lasts | |---|---|---|---|---| | Companies House public register data | a permission to reuse public records | yes, the figures are free | allowed | not stated | | Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service (US Supreme Court, 1991) | the original selection or arrangement, never the facts | yes, the figures are free | not stated | not stated | | Open Government Licence v3.0 (UK public sector information) | a permission to reuse public records | yes, the figures are free | allowed | The Licensor grants you a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive licence to… | | SEC EDGAR public filings | a permission to reuse public records | yes, the figures are free | not stated | not stated | | UK database copyright (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 3A) | the original selection or arrangement, never the facts | not stated | not stated | not stated | | UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997) | the investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents | no, taking a substantial part needs consent | needs the owner's consent | Database right in a database expires at the end of the period of fifteen years from the… | | UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A) | not stated | not stated | non-commercial only | not stated | | UK trade secret law (Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018) | information kept secret that has value because it is secret | not stated | not stated | not stated | | US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103) | the original selection or arrangement, never the facts | yes, the figures are free | not stated | not stated | | US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839) | information kept secret that has value because it is secret | not stated | not stated | not stated | ## The sentence each answer rests on (68) - Companies House public register data, [Companies House personal information charter](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house/about/personal-information-charter), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: Nothing on this text answers it (29,014 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Companies House public register data, [Companies House personal information charter](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house/about/personal-information-charter), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (29,014 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Companies House public register data, [Companies House personal information charter](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house/about/personal-information-charter), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: "Commercial organisations may sometimes use data from these registers to create their own online products. These organisations then become controllers of your personal data." - Companies House public register data, [Companies House personal information charter](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house/about/personal-information-charter), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (29,014 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Companies House public register data, [GOV.UK, Companies House data products](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/companies-house-data-products), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: "The accounts data product is a free downloadable ZIP file, which contains the individual data files (instance documents) of company accounts filed electronically at Companies House." - Companies House public register data, [GOV.UK, Companies House data products](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/companies-house-data-products), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: "The company data product is a free monthly snapshot of information for live companies on the public register." - Companies House public register data, [GOV.UK, Companies House data products](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/companies-house-data-products), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (6,785 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Companies House public register data, [GOV.UK, Companies House data products](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/companies-house-data-products), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (6,785 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service (US Supreme Court, 1991), [499 U.S. 340, opinion and syllabus](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/499/340), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: "These choices as to selection and arrangement, so long as they are made independently by the compiler and entail a minimal degree of creativity, are sufficiently original that Congress may protect such compilations" - Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service (US Supreme Court, 1991), [499 U.S. 340, opinion and syllabus](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/499/340), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: "Since facts do not owe their origin to an act of authorship, they are not original and, thus, are not copyrightable." - Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service (US Supreme Court, 1991), [499 U.S. 340, opinion and syllabus](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/499/340), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (51,443 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service (US Supreme Court, 1991), [499 U.S. 340, opinion and syllabus](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/499/340), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (51,443 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - Open Government Licence v3.0 (UK public sector information), [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: "The Licensor grants you a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive licence to use the Information subject to the conditions below." - Open Government Licence v3.0 (UK public sector information), [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: "You are encouraged to use and re-use the Information that is available under this licence freely and flexibly, with only a few conditions." - Open Government Licence v3.0 (UK public sector information), [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: "exploit the Information commercially and non-commercially for example, by combining it with other Information, or by including it in your own product or application." - Open Government Licence v3.0 (UK public sector information), [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: "The Licensor grants you a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, non-exclusive licence to use the Information subject to the conditions below." - SEC EDGAR public filings, [SEC, Accessing EDGAR Data](https://www.sec.gov/search-filings/edgar-search-assistance/accessing-edgar-data), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: "Anyone can access and download this information for free or query it through a variety of EDGAR public searches." - SEC EDGAR public filings, [SEC, Accessing EDGAR Data](https://www.sec.gov/search-filings/edgar-search-assistance/accessing-edgar-data), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: "Anyone can access and download this information for free or query it through a variety of EDGAR public searches." - SEC EDGAR public filings, [SEC, Accessing EDGAR Data](https://www.sec.gov/search-filings/edgar-search-assistance/accessing-edgar-data), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (12,154 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - SEC EDGAR public filings, [SEC, Accessing EDGAR Data](https://www.sec.gov/search-filings/edgar-search-assistance/accessing-edgar-data), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (12,154 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database copyright (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 3A), [Section 3A, databases](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/3A), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: "a literary work consisting of a database is original if, and only if, by reason of the selection or arrangement of the contents of the database the database constitutes the author’s own intellectual creation." - UK database copyright (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 3A), [Section 3A, databases](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/3A), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (4,793 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database copyright (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 3A), [Section 3A, databases](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/3A), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (4,793 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database copyright (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 3A), [Section 3A, databases](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/3A), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (4,793 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 13, database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/13), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: "A property right (“database right”) subsists, in accordance with this Part, in a database if there has been a substantial investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of the database." - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 13, database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/13), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (4,747 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 13, database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/13), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (4,747 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 13, database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/13), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (4,747 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 14, the maker of a database](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/14), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: "the person who takes the initiative in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents of a database and assumes the risk of investing in that obtaining, verification or presentation shall be regarded as the maker of, and as having made, the database." - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 14, the maker of a database](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/14), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (6,277 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 14, the maker of a database](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/14), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (6,277 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 14, the maker of a database](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/14), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (6,277 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 16, acts infringing database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/16), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: Nothing on this text answers it (4,789 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 16, acts infringing database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/16), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: "a person infringes database right in a database if, without the consent of the owner of the right, he extracts or re-utilises all or a substantial part of the contents of the database." - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 16, acts infringing database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/16), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: "a person infringes database right in a database if, without the consent of the owner of the right, he extracts or re-utilises all or a substantial part of the contents of the database." - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 16, acts infringing database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/16), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (4,789 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 17, duration of database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/17), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: Nothing on this text answers it (5,157 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 17, duration of database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/17), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (5,157 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 17, duration of database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/17), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (5,157 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK database right (Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997), [Regulation 17, duration of database right](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/17), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: "Database right in a database expires at the end of the period of fifteen years from the end of the calendar year in which the making of the database was completed." - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [IPO guidance, exceptions to copyright](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: Nothing on this text answers it (24,005 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [IPO guidance, exceptions to copyright](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (24,005 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [IPO guidance, exceptions to copyright](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: "This exception only permits the making of copies for the purpose of text and data mining for non-commercial research." - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [IPO guidance, exceptions to copyright](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (24,005 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [Section 29A, copies for text and data analysis](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/29A), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: Nothing on this text answers it (5,880 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [Section 29A, copies for text and data analysis](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/29A), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (5,880 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [Section 29A, copies for text and data analysis](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/29A), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: "carry out a computational analysis of anything recorded in the work for the sole purpose of research for a non-commercial purpose" - UK text and data analysis exception (Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A), [Section 29A, copies for text and data analysis](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/29A), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (5,880 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - UK trade secret law (Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018), [Regulation 2, interpretation](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/regulation/2), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: "has been subject to reasonable steps under the circumstances, by the person lawfully in control of the information, to keep it secret" - UK trade secret law (Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018), [Regulation 2, interpretation](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/regulation/2), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (5,695 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK trade secret law (Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018), [Regulation 2, interpretation](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/regulation/2), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (5,695 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - UK trade secret law (Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018), [Regulation 2, interpretation](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/regulation/2), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (5,695 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 101, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/101), read 2026-10-03, What it protects or permits: "is a work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that are selected, coordinated, or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship" - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 101, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/101), read 2026-10-03, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (63,594 characters of text text, read 2026-10-03). - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 101, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/101), read 2026-10-03, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (63,594 characters of text text, read 2026-10-03). - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 101, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/101), read 2026-10-03, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (63,594 characters of text text, read 2026-10-03). - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 103, compilations and derivative works](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/103), read 2026-10-27, What it protects or permits: "The copyright in a compilation or derivative work extends only to the material contributed by the author of such work, as distinguished from the preexisting material employed in the work" - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 103, compilations and derivative works](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/103), read 2026-10-27, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: "does not imply any exclusive right in the preexisting material" - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 103, compilations and derivative works](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/103), read 2026-10-27, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (1,409 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - US copyright in compilations (17 U.S.C. 101 and 103), [17 U.S.C. 103, compilations and derivative works](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/103), read 2026-10-27, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (1,409 characters of text text, read 2026-10-27). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1836, civil proceedings](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1836), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: Nothing on this text answers it (18,731 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1836, civil proceedings](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1836), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (18,731 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1836, civil proceedings](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1836), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (18,731 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1836, civil proceedings](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1836), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (18,731 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1839, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1839), read 2026-10-08, What it protects or permits: "the information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable through proper means by, another person" - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1839, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1839), read 2026-10-08, Are the bare figures themselves free to copy: Nothing on this text answers it (9,909 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1839, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1839), read 2026-10-08, Commercial use under it: Nothing on this text answers it (9,909 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). - US trade secret law (Defend Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. 1836 and 1839), [18 U.S.C. 1839, definitions](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1839), read 2026-10-08, How long it lasts: Nothing on this text answers it (9,909 characters of text text, read 2026-10-08). ## Read and set aside - [US Copyright Office, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence](https://www.copyright.gov/ai/): the Copyright Office's index of its AI reports; it states no rule - [SEC, Privacy Information (website security and access)](https://www.sec.gov/about/privacy-information): the SEC website privacy and security statement; it sets no rule on reusing filings (the access rule is on Accessing EDGAR Data) - [Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, contents](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/contents): the instrument's contents page; the rules are regulations 13, 14, 16 and 17, read separately - [Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, contents](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/contents): the instrument's contents page; the definition of a trade secret is regulation 2, read separately - [Companies House Developer Hub](https://developer.company-information.service.gov.uk/): the Companies House developer landing page; it states no reuse terms (those are the Open Government Licence's) - [Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1415/contents): the instrument's contents page; it lists the regulations without their text ## Methodology Each instrument's own the statutes, the court and the public bodies' own texts in GB and the US were read through estate-fetch and stored whole (sha256 on every row). For every text, four questions were answered from its own words: what it protects or permits, are the bare figures themselves free to copy, commercial use under it, how long it lasts. Every stated answer carries the sentence it rests on, checked against the stored text; 'not stated' means the text read does not address the question. A instrument with several texts reads 'varies' where they disagree. 10 instruments, 17 texts. ## Sources - [17 U.S.C. 103, subject matter of copyright: compilations](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/103) (read) - [17 U.S.C. 101, definitions (compilation)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/101) (read) - [Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service, 499 U.S. 340 (1991)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/499/340) (read) - [US Copyright Office, Title 17 chapter 1](https://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html) (unread) - [US Copyright Office, Copyright and Artificial Intelligence](https://www.copyright.gov/ai/) (not-terms) - [18 U.S.C. 1836, civil proceedings (Defend Trade Secrets Act)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1836) (read) - [18 U.S.C. 1839, definitions (trade secret)](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1839) (read) - [SEC, Accessing EDGAR Data](https://www.sec.gov/search-filings/edgar-search-assistance/accessing-edgar-data) (read) - [SEC, Privacy Information (website security and access)](https://www.sec.gov/about/privacy-information) (not-terms) - [Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 13](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/13) (read) - [Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 14](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/14) (read) - [Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 16](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/16) (read) - [Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, reg. 17](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/regulation/17) (read) - [Copyright and Rights in Databases Regulations 1997, contents](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1997/3032/contents) (not-terms) - [Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 3A (databases)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/3A) (read) - [Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, s. 29A (text and data analysis)](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/48/section/29A) (read) - [GOV.UK, Exceptions to copyright](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/exceptions-to-copyright) (read) - [Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, reg. 2](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/regulation/2) (read) - [Trade Secrets (Enforcement, etc.) Regulations 2018, contents](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/597/contents) (not-terms) - [GOV.UK, Companies House data products](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/companies-house-data-products) (read) - [Companies House Developer Hub](https://developer.company-information.service.gov.uk/) (not-terms) - [Companies House personal information charter](https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/companies-house/about/personal-information-charter) (read) - [Open Government Licence v3.0](https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/) (read) - [Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015/1415/contents) (not-terms) ## Cite or embed - Under 5 of 10 legal texts read in GB and the US, the bare figures in a financial dataset stay free to copy, newest read 27 October 2026. - What it protects or permits, by instrument: a permission to reuse public records 3 of 10, the original selection or arrangement, never the facts 3 of 10, information kept secret that has value because it is secret 2 of 10, the investment in obtaining, verifying or presenting the contents 1 of 10, not stated 1 of 10 (10 instruments, read 27 October 2026). - Are the bare figures themselves free to copy, by instrument: yes, the figures are free 5 of 10, not stated 4 of 10, no, taking a substantial part needs consent 1 of 10 (10 instruments, read 27 October 2026). - Commercial use under it, by instrument: not stated 6 of 10, allowed 2 of 10, needs the owner's consent 1 of 10, non-commercial only 1 of 10 (10 instruments, read 27 October 2026). - How long it lasts, by instrument: not stated 8 of 10, stated 2 of 10 (10 instruments, read 27 October 2026). Cite as: "What the law protects in a financial dataset", updated 2026-10-27, https://sellfinancialdatatoai.com/datasets/financial-data-ownership-law/. CSV: https://sellfinancialdatatoai.com/datasets/financial-data-ownership-law.csv JSON: https://sellfinancialdatatoai.com/datasets/financial-data-ownership-law.json Embed (plain HTML, static link back): see https://sellfinancialdatatoai.com/datasets/financial-data-ownership-law/#lead