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Agency drafts guidelines on satellite imagery

National Journal's Technology Daily August 25, 2005

A U.S. Geological Survey committee on Thursday posted online new guidelines that note standard procedures for disseminating imagery, including images that are used in software products like Google's online maps and Google Earth.

The guidelines, issued in response to security concerns, cover publicly available geospatial data on natural or man-made features of the earth. Data is provided to USGS via various sources, such as privately licensed satellite companies and the Defense and State departments.

The guidelines target organizations where the imagery originates and aim to strike a balance between safeguarding information and sharing it with the public. While the guidelines outline how organizations can better evaluate whether content is "sensitive" or poses a security risk, they "do not grant any new authority."

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The decision to draft the guidelines was made because some organizations "curtailed access without assessing the risk to security" before considering the public benefit.

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  • U.S. Geological Survey simply should stop issuing the maps for Iraq and Afghanistan. But I guess we also have to include Bosnia (were we have been since 1990 and Clinton said we would be out in two years! Oh yes, we probably have to stop Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Cambodia, etc. I guess the easiest thing is to stop issuing any pictures or maps. If we do that then we could close the USG and save a lot of money the government spends to provide terrorists and private companies with information they can use for profit or terror. Good, get rid of the USG! taxpayer Posted August 26, 2005 6:42 AM
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