Geographic Information Technologies and Personal Privacy

Concepts of privacy are fluid. They change according to historical contingencies and are mediated by technology. Geospatial technologies are now altering the way privacy is being considered. Remote sensing technologies can be used to observe, or infer, the locations of individuals from space, from remotely piloted aircraft, and from fixed terrestrial observation points. Other geospatial technologies can be used to track movements and to recover individual-level information from maps. These changes are welcomed by some, since they provide a certain level of public safety (e.g., E-911). In other cases, however, a lack of awareness about the sinister aspects of surveillance may lead to complacency. Where personal privacy is eroded, individuals should be aware of the limitations of technology and the degree to which it may be applied to monitor their activities.