5 Interesting Things I’ve Learned About Digital Public Goods (DPGs)

General
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1. Every DPG is open source, but not every open-source tool qualifies as a DPG. It has to meet the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) standards to earn that title.

2. A tool might look and feel like a DPG, but unless it passes the DPGA’s review process and gets listed in their official registry, it’s not yet recognized.

3. The Government of Sierra Leone, together with Norway and UNICEF, and iSPIRT played a leading role in formally setting up the DPGA.

4. The term “Digital Public Good” gained global attention when economist Nicholas Gruen discussed it in his book Building the Public Goods of the Twenty-First Century. It quickly caught the interest of governments, NGOs, and the private sector.

5. Copyright law makes most digital content “all rights reserved” by default. The open educational resources (OER) movement popularized the use of “copyleft” licenses, like Creative Commons, which let people freely reuse, share, and adapt content.

What have you learnt that you find interesting about Open-source and Digital Public Goods.

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Love this list, thanks for sharing!

Here are 5 interesting things I’ve learned about DPGs and open-source so far:

  1. DPGs aren’t just “free tools.” They’re designed with impact in mind — aligned to solving real SDG challenges like education, health, and climate.

  2. Local context matters. A DPG built in Silicon Valley might not work in Sierra Leone unless it’s localized (language, bandwidth, culture). That’s why adaptation is as important as creation.

  3. Sustainability is key. If a DPG isn’t maintained or doesn’t have a community, it risks dying off — even if it started strong.

  4. Privacy and security are baked in. Unlike some flashy apps, DPGs must follow “do no harm” principles — protecting users’ data and wellbeing.

  5. They’re about collaboration, not competition. Anyone can fork, improve, and reuse — which means the best ideas can spread faster than proprietary models.