-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Re: California Assemblyman wants to censor Satellite Imagery
Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:48:24 -0500
From: David J. Bertuca <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
References: <[log in to unmask]>
greetings to all;
This is another trend for us. Several years ago a state senator was pushing
a bill that would force maps to be restricted online with "smudged" areas,
etc.
Google was one of his prime targets. My response drew favorable comments
among librarians in the area and they asked me to pass my comments on to
the said politician. Some of our non-map colleagues didn't quite appreciate
the situation that would arise from this legislation but after discussing
it, realized how goofy it really was.
I cannot find my response to this, but it centered on several points:
*Any "targets" that can be found on a map, have already been located by
"bad people"
*anyone now can create their own map related data using GPS, phones, and
maps (paper or e) that will be specific to their "needs"
*blurring out hot spots is like putting a red flag on the site you want to
hide
*the low-tech terrorists don't need to pinpoint coordinates as their
methods require personally attacking a site, rather than "smart bombing"
from remote.
To me, this is mostly political-based and another way to make more work and
trouble for suppliers and users. Our local was blowing his horn trying to
give us little people a "warm fuzzy" feeling that he had our interests at
heart, but in truth, this would have caused a nightmare everywhere.
I urge anyone who sees this happening to say something to put some reason
into the debate.
David J. Bertuca, Map Librarian
225 Capen Hall
University at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY 14260-1672
716-645-2947 x229
[log in to unmask]
--On Thursday, March 05, 2009 9:44 AM -0600 Maps-L Moderator for Paige
Andrew <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: California Assemblyman wants to censor Satellite
> Imagery
> Date: Thu, 05 Mar 2009 10:37:14 -0500
> From: Paige Andrew <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> References: <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
>
> I'd say the horse left the barn several years ago, so what's the point...
>
> Paige
>
> At 10:24 AM 3/5/2009, you wrote:
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject: California Assemblyman wants to censor Satellite Imagery
>> Date: Thu, 5 Mar 2009 08:46:16 -0600 (CST)
>> From: Linda R Zellmer <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: Map&AirPhotoDiscussionList <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> This was in the Map Room when I checked this
>> morning. Note that this would be at the state
>> level, not the Federal. Linda Zellmer
>>
>> Republican California Assemblyman Joel Anderson
>> has introduced a bill to censor online satellite
>> imagery of public buildings. â??His bill would
>> restrict the images such Web sites could post
>> online. Clear, detailed images of schools,
>> hospitals, churches and all government buildings
>> ? what he calls soft terrorism targets ? would
>> not be allowed. ? His bill would make it illegal
>> in California to post close-up images of such
>> buildings. Instead, the images would have to be
>> blurred.â?? Note to terrorists: Everything
>> blurred is worth bombing. And, since
>> transportation infrastructure is also clearly a
>> soft terrorist target, all imagery of roads should be blurred too.
>> oo.
>>
>> --
>> Linda Zellmer
>> Government Information & Data Services Librarian
>> 415 Malpass Library
>> Macomb, IL 61455
>> [log in to unmask]
>> Phone: 309-298-2723
>> Fax: 309-298-2791
>
>
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