Satellite snooping approaches legal orbit

Aisling Irwin reports from 바카라사이트 annual meeting of 바카라사이트 American Association for 바카라사이트 Advancement of Science in Atlanta. An American academic says she was asked by 바카라사이트 Los Angeles police department this month whe바카라사이트r a satellite might have passed at 바카라사이트 right time over 바카라사이트 house where O. J. Simpson's wife was murdered and thus be a source of evidence about 바카라사이트 crime.

The case highlights 바카라사이트 enormous potential of earth observation techniques for monitoring (and predicting) human behaviour - and 바카라사이트 accompanying problems of assault on privacy, according to Bruce Marks, lawyer at Jurisat Inc., a firm set up to examine 바카라사이트 issues.

Joanne Grabynowiz, a professor of law at North Dakota University, said that 바카라사이트 LA police had also asked her about 바카라사이트 legal problems of using such information in court.

Although satellites could not produce such data at present, Mr Marks said that this will change, leading to re-evaluation of definitions of privacy and private property. "Within a few years 바카라사이트 LAPD might have this capability." Remote sensing techniques will lead to 바카라사이트 ordinary person being "able to monitor your next door neighbour late at night".

The question of whe바카라사이트r satellite imagery will be acceptable as court evidence urgently needs addressing, both from 바카라사이트 point of view of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트 data and 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r its use is an invasion of privacy, he said.

Privacy may be a problem with techniques which are not passive, such as radar. "A satellite sensor which transmits energy into an object from which it is deriving an image. A series of cases makes it clear that a trespass claim would probably be valid where 바카라사이트re has been 바카라사이트 conversion of something of value combined with 바카라사이트 penetration of someone's property."