Information want to - and will - be free

Even Climate Science data:

The UK Information Commissioner (ICO) has rendered a decision (see here) on Jonathan Jones’ appeal of the UEA’s refusal to provide Prof J. Jones with the CRUTEM station data that they had previously provided to Georgia Tech. The decision that can only be characterized as a total thrashing of the University of East Anglia.

...

Some of the University’s arguments purporting to uphold their supposed “intellectual property rights” should ring as particularly contemptible to most members of the public. If climate scientists exhort the public to make personal sacrifices, it seems hypocritical that they should claim that their “intellectual property rights” prevent examination of data being used to underpin those requests to make sacrifices.

Lest the University be tempted to delay further, the Commissioner ordered the University to produce the requested data to Prof [J] Jones within 35 days, stating:

Failure to comply with the steps described above may result in the Commissioner making written certification of this fact to ths High Court pursuant to section 54 of the Act and may be dealt with as a contempt of court.

Long time readers will recognize the University of East Anglia as the "hide the decline" crowd.  Their climate science data was too special to be released to the Great Unwashed.

Until now.

Long time readers will recognize Steve McIntyre as the man who trashed the "Hockey Stick", once he got his hands on the data.  There's a reason that they UEA refused the Freedom Of Information Act request from him.

Fetch the popcorn.  This one is fixin' to get fun.