Potential Threats of Open Geospatial Data
Modern world is focused on the information, which is the main tool for communication, business, and relations in general. Many activists all around the world speak for the open information, however, it may not be as profitable as it sounds. Even though open geospatial information provides several benefits, such as easier transportation or logistics, it may bring potential threats to the national security system, as it provides necessary data for the terrorists and violates the opportunities for privacy.
Open geospatial data may potentially provide the necessary information for the terrorists in order to make it easier for them to plan their attacks because all the roads and buildings are visible online. This information creates a potential threat for the national security because it was unavailable for the terrorists even a couple of decades ago. Thus, open geospatial information takes the terrorism to the completely new level, which makes it more difficult to fight with it. In order to minimize the risk of terrorist attacks, it is necessary to either limit the access to or completely lock such resources like Google Earth or Mapquest.com because their potential threat is unimaginable.
Additionally, open geospatial data violates the rights for privacy of the citizens. Google satellites do not ask any permission in order to take the photo of one’s house or yard, and it is the direct disrespect of the private property. Even though such data may be useful for ecology or agriculture, this fact still does not excuse the crossing of the privacy rights of certain citizens.
Overall, open geospatial data represents a significantly bigger amount of negative impacts, so it should be either limited or forbidden at all. It is not difficult to use slightly old-fashioned paper maps for travelling if one would know that it would be a great help to the national security system.
Works Cited
Han, W., Yang, Z., Di, L. and Mueller, R. (2012). CropScape: A Web service based application for exploring and disseminating US conterminous geospatial cropland data products for decision support. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 84, pp.111-123.
Medina, R. and Hepner, G. (2013). The geography of international terrorism. 1st ed. Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis.
Blumenfeld, L. (2016). Dissertation Could Be Security Threat. [online] Washington Post. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2003/07/08/dissertation-could-be-security-threat/32266f9d-0ae4-4185-84d5-967ce77f4fa8/?utm_term=.6a62d6826e10 [Accessed 27 Dec. …
