Week 7 Part Two: Big Brother is watching!!

Is the benefits to be derived from the use of geospatial data to
improve productivity, efficiency and more transparent government
and a more energy efficient and safer supply chain for industry worth the
trade off of our security and privacy?

I have to admit that I'm fairly torn on this issue. As an investigator I am excited at the prospect of having this information at my fingertips, without having to go to the expense of developing the intelligence along the way, and without having to go to the courts for a warrant every time. It would make my job a whole lot easier if I could open u pa program and take a look at what's going on in real time, usually to determin if there is anyting of a criminal nature happening in the first place. As a citizen, I really feel that if you are not doing anything wtong then you have nothing to hide, and except for the fact that one might like to partake in a little nude sunbathing in the privacy of ones own backyard, without fear of being watched by the eye in the sky, I really think most people would not have a problem with a little oversight to help keep the peace. The question of whether this technology would be abused for purposes other than a good faith attempt to fight major crime is an issue for another class. I understand that there are many people who disagree on pronciple with the concept.

How does this data change the way you feel about your privacy
and security? How does it change the way you look at your business or
profession?

I think that privacy and security are two distinct concepts, at least with respect to this issue. My privacy might be infringed upon by the use of this technology, but if it increases my level of security then I feel that the trade-off might be worth it. I suppose it is like the idea of watching your kids. On the one hand you would like them to grow up in the carefree environment that you did, with very little parental oversight, but on the other hand you realize that you are living in a different time and want to know where your kids are at all times, if even for their own protection. I think my profession is the same way. I know that I personally would use the technology to try and prevent a serious crime or catch an offender. But I also acknowledge that some people would mistrust my intentions.

The current GE satellite image database is not real time, nor is it uniform. In eastern Massachusetts the data is often accurate enough to resolve objects about 6 inches in diameter. The data is about 2 years old. What if we could get online data everyday that could look into your back yard?

Again, I'm not as excited at the idea of someone looking into my backyard, even though I have nothing worth looking at. But I would love to be able to look into the yards of people who do have something to hide. As outdated as the images are, I have still used them to good effect. In one case the Google Street View image clearly showed a target's vehicle parked in front of a property. It didn;t tell us exactly when, nor could we use the information reliably in an affidavit, but it loet us know quickly that we were on the right track.

With the advent of Unmanned Aerospace Vehicles (UAV)s and downloadable satellite feeds it is possible to give government agencies that ability now. It could be fed into Google Earth and other geospatial applications with great benefit in times of natural diaster, acts of terrorism, and to protect our borders.

Hollywood makes a big deal about the potential of the government to utilize satellite imagery and all sorts of technical wizadry to get a realtime view of events as they occur. The reality is that while the technology is there, the capability to utilize it at the apeed and accuracy that is portrayed in the movies is not. The truth is that it is practically impossible, at the current levels of deployment, to cover every square inch of the country at all times. So, much in the same way as police officers are deployed, you cover the likely targets and hope that you have someone neatby when something happens elsewhere. And although some in the European Union may be concerned about Google StreetView and Google Earth as an infringement of privacy, it is in fact the Europeans who have taken the lead when it comes to closed circuit surveillance in public area. The British police have large scale CCTV coverage over wide areas of their cities and towns, much more so than in the US. And they believe that it is a serious deterrent to street level crime. Again, beyond the people who disagree on principle, a lot of people are happy to live a more peaceful and secure life as a result.