Roadmap

Overview

We are building the OHTL schema from the ground up, by working hands-on with real taxonomies before we fix a design.

Taxonomies of online harm differ widely in shape: some are statutory lists, some are research typologies, some are moderation categories in a product. So we are starting with the sources themselves, learning what they contain and how they are structured, and letting that evidence drive the schema design. The work is split into six phases, with phases 2 and 3 repeating during phase 4 until the schema settles.

At a glance

  1. 01Explore sourcesNow
  2. 02Design the schema and collaborateNext
  3. 03Test the draftLater
  4. 04Iterate and grow participationLater
  5. 05Publish a stable schemaLater
  6. 06Steward and evolveLater

Phases 2 and 3 repeat in cycles during phase 4, until the schema design is stable enough to publish as version 1.0.

Where we are now

Phase 1: exploring sources (September 2026).

We have identified an initial set of taxonomies from regulators, researchers and industry (listed on the Sources page), with more candidates from EU institutions and others under review. We have started working with these source documents to explore how their categories, definitions and examples are structured.

We are starting with legislation, regulators' guidance and multi-stakeholder typologies. Company policies and classifier labels will follow: they can change at any time, may not have stable, dated editions, and their terms may not let us archive a copy.

Our current working assumption for how the Library will work, from source document to published data, is set out in How it works.

The phases

  1. Explore sources Now

    Identify taxonomies, typologies and classification systems of online harm. Give each edition a permanent, archived address, then parse and transform them to scope their structure: how deep their hierarchies go, how categories are defined, what examples and exclusions they give, and their legal status.

    Explore what is possible and how we might do it, and test the working assumption set out in How it works.

  2. Design the schema and collaborate Next

    Draft the schema using the outputs from phase 1. By default we reuse established vocabularies, such as the W3C SKOS standard and Dublin Core, wherever they fit, so that OHTL data works as linked data alongside other datasets. New terms are added only where no established vocabulary covers the need.

    Invite third parties and organisations to take part, build a team within OHTL, and start to develop the governance and principles for schema decisions.

  3. Test the draft Later

    Redo the transforms of each source using the draft schema, and assess what works and what does not.

    Publish our attempts at using the schema to link and map the sources, such as crosswalks showing where categories in different taxonomies match, overlap or differ, so others can review and challenge them.

  4. Iterate and grow participation Later

    Repeat phases 2 and 3 in cycles, adding sources and refining the schema each time.

    Build an OHTL team, and invite researchers, domain experts and organisations to input into the schema design process. Develop OHTL's governance procedures so they scale with the number of people and organisations taking part.

  5. Publish a stable schema Later

    Once the schema design has settled, publish it as a stable version 1.0, with a clear process for changes after that.

  6. Steward and evolve Later

    Support adoption of the published schema, and receive feedback from the people and organisations using it. Consider updates and improvements, and engage with the community of users about proposals for them.

    Publish new versions with appropriate documentation, and develop the governance processes needed to support all of these activities.

Status of outputs

Until phase 5, anything OHTL publishes is a draft. Schema releases are numbered 0.x, and terms, structure and crosswalks may change between them. Please use early outputs to explore and give feedback, but expect them to change.

Get involved

The success of the project will depend on a team of willing participants; people and organisations with diverse backgrounds, interests and motivations, operating in different jurisdictions, sectors and roles. If you would like to help shape the schema or how OHTL is run, see Work with OHTL and Governance.