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(International – US) Spatial Law and Policy Update

(April 8, 2011)

Privacy

Personal ‘geo data’ as sensitive as private genetic information Daily) Is the geospatial community losing the debate on privacy without realizing it?

No More German Street View? Earth blog) Have not confirmed whether this is true.

Swiss Court Restricts Google Street View Mag)

Personal ‘geo data’ as sensitive as private genetic information, expert argues Daily). Is location really as sensitive as our DNA?

CA legislator introduces state ‘Do Not Track Bill’ (PC World) Bill modeled after federal bill introduced in February, which would regulate ‘precise geolocation information’. (You may remember that CA state court recently ruled that a zip code is personally identifiable information).

Tell-all telephone (Zeit online) This story about a German politician who asked for record of all location information carrier had collected on him has been receiving a lot of media attention.

The risks of digital mapping (the Muse)

Mobile-app companies receive subpoenas (WSJ) Some companies had been collecting users’ location without notice and/or permission.

Spatial Data Infrastructures

Best Practices for Local Governments (GeoData Policy) Two-page report was prepared by National Geospatial Advisory Committee (U.S.

Public Sector Mapping Agreement starts (England and Wales) The Ordnance Survey is doing some innovative work with respect to spatial data licensing agreements.

Law Enforcement/National Security

Justice Department opposes privacy reforms (cnet) Justice Department takes position that warrant not needed for ‘less precise’ location information from cell tower and should only be used for GPS or multilateration-derived location information.

Va Court Upholds Conviction Based Upon Warrantless GPS USE (NBC Washington)

Minn to initiate pilot program to track drivers’ mileage (Twin Cities Daily Pilot) Note proposed legislation to protect consumers’ data.

Smart Grid

Weather data: another smart grid opportunity? (Electricity Policy)

Crowd-sourcing

Academics Join Relief Efforts Around the World as Crisis Mappers# (The Chronicle of Higher Education)

GPS

LightSquared’s Planned Wireless Internet Network Threatens GPS (Huffington Post) This issue continues to receive a good deal of attention.

Miscellaneous

NOAA CIO Tackles Big Data (Information Week)

Geospatial Information Law
(hokumonline.com) Law enacted in Indonesia. Note discussion of data accuracy and dissemination.

Who Wants To Not Get Stabbed? Interesting ‘game’ combining Google Street View and crime data. Raises all sorts of possibilities.