English abstract

This article suggests decomposing digital services into a series of components on which to apply rules for sharing in order for them to operate as digital commons through the resulting governance.

These components are: source code, usage rights, data produced by users, usage data, means of communication, brand, and modes of evolution. Missing to appropriately share any of these components opens up loopholes that enable the reenclosure of resources necessary to the operation of the service as a digital common in the medium or long term.

For each of these component, this article defines basic constraints to be applied on the rules to guarantee their sustainability. Additional constraints are also suggested for services whose value depends on the active contribution of their community, since this contribution capacity is directly correlated to the time invested by its members and is therefore a rival resource. This framework highlights aspects of digital services that are often considered peripheral and facilitates the definition of a governance appropriate for a sustainable community operation.