Slashgeo Log In
Spatial Data and Privacy
posted by Satri
on Thursday January 31, @02:46PM
Permalink
Trackback URI
Slashdotthis
Diggthis
Del.icio.us
from the we-can-know-a-lot-about-you-now dept.
from the we-can-know-a-lot-about-you-now dept.
The Spatial Law blog discuss and links to an excellent (and very long) article named location and privacy issues. From the article: "However, the counter argument is that there is a tension between the two fundamental values of privacy on the one hand and the public’s right to know on the other. [...] GIS has the power to integrate diverse information from multiple sources. Some of the data are of a personal nature where individuals may be identified or identifiable while others are of a spatial nature that may be used to locate individuals through geocoded data such as a home address. The privacy threat is from the new inferences that may be made by correlating geographic information with personal information." From the SL blog: "Second, Dr Cho notes that "geospatial technology is inherently visual but this strength also exposes a major weakness in that it may produce map interences that may be both statistically and ecologically fallacious.""
Related Stories
Privacy No More: the Down Side of Location
[+]
dct writes "Vector One has this comment on Location Intelligence effect on privacy. In this world of location excitement, it is important to make a pause and ponder about the effects of our work. From the article: "In as much as many people seek to identify objects and people, where is the limit? Why can’t an individual ‘protect’ themselves from unwanted electronic invasion?""
Spatial Data Privacy and the Law
[+]
Directions Mag have a nice article about what companies can do in regards to spatial data privacy and law. From the article, the list of Federal Trade Commission desirable elements: "Risk assessments, Employee training on information security issues, Disposal procedures for PIS data [personally identifiable data], Requirements for regular monitoring and updating of security plan, Plans to report, respond to and manage security incidents, Policies in hiring third parties, Designated employee(s) responsible for data security."
Technology: GPS Tracking and Privacy
[+]
The Map Room links to a Guardian Unlimited article on GPS and Privacy. From the article: ""People are very willing to give up their privacy," he says. "You just have to give them a good reason to do so. If you can assist a person in their everyday life, they will be more than happy to divulge their current location." [...] Whether we're using our mobile phone, wandering around on social networking sites, or just going about our daily lives, we want to have agreed to any tracking that takes place."
Application Domains: Location-Based Services Survey and Privacy
[+]
The GeoCarta blog links and discuss a 9-pages report on location-based services, including results of a survey and a section on privacy [pdf, 1MB]. From the report: "Nonetheless, our survey (which only included people 18 and older) confirms that privacy concerns are still a serious roadblock among adult mobile phone users. Only 4% of those surveyed indicated they would want their employers to have access to their presence information. Even when friends and family are involved, the numbers are low. Only 10% said it would be appealing for "friends and family" to have access to this information."
U.S. Government Requests Real-Time Cellphone Tracking
[+]
Slashdot runs a story where we learn the U.S. government can track any cellphone. Their summary: "According to a Washington Post article, federal officials are routinely asking and getting courts to order cellphone companies to furnish real-time tracking data on subscribers. The data is used to pinpoint the whereabouts of 'criminal suspects', according to judges and industry lawyers. In some cases, judges have granted the requests without even requiring the government to demonstrate probable cause that a crime is taking place or that the inquiry will yield evidence of a crime 'Privacy advocates fear such a practice may expose average Americans to a new level of government scrutiny of their daily lives. Such requests run counter to the Justice Department's internal recommendation that federal prosecutors seek warrants based on probable cause to obtain precise location data in private areas. The requests and orders are sealed at the government's request, so it is difficult to know how often the orders are issued or denied."
Googling Security: Mapping, Directions, and Imagery
[+]
APB links to a long and interesting article named "Googling Security: Mapping, Directions, and Imagery".
From the article: "So what is the harm in using these services? Well, it turns out, a lot. You face significant risks from both your use of these services and the content they contain. This article analyzes the information you disclose when using mapping and imagery services, including how your use of these tools discloses locations of your home, employer, family and friends, travel plans, and strategic intentions, and discusses how data mining can easily link seemingly disparate groups of people based on their interest in common locations. It also covers the risks inherent in the content itself, including camera-equipped cars capturing continuous streams of high-quality street-level photographs, collaborative analysis of satellite imagery, and your inability to trust the veracity of the images themselves."
Several previous related stories copied below.
This discussion has been archived.
No new comments can be posted.
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.



