TY - JOUR

T1 - Remote sensing

T2 - A case for moving space data towards the public good

AU - Smith, Lesley Jane

AU - Doldirina, Catherine

PY - 2008/2

Y1 - 2008/2

N2 - This paper discusses whether current international and national regulation of remote sensing activities achieves a true balance between proprietary interests of producers of remote sensing data and information and the needs of the community in accessing that data and information. By subjecting remote sensing data to general copyright restrictions that are often coupled with exclusive licences, irrespective of type or use of data and/or information, the development of important secondary information markets could be negatively hampered. In the long run, over-regulating access to space data may prove counter-productive in the information age. Using examples of different modes of information dissemination currently being practised, the paper highlights the balances to be drawn between legal issues of private ownership of data and information and public good interests. It concludes with suggestions for a more coherent regulatory approach.

AB - This paper discusses whether current international and national regulation of remote sensing activities achieves a true balance between proprietary interests of producers of remote sensing data and information and the needs of the community in accessing that data and information. By subjecting remote sensing data to general copyright restrictions that are often coupled with exclusive licences, irrespective of type or use of data and/or information, the development of important secondary information markets could be negatively hampered. In the long run, over-regulating access to space data may prove counter-productive in the information age. Using examples of different modes of information dissemination currently being practised, the paper highlights the balances to be drawn between legal issues of private ownership of data and information and public good interests. It concludes with suggestions for a more coherent regulatory approach.

KW - Commercial law

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=39049140595&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.spacepol.2007.12.002

DO - 10.1016/j.spacepol.2007.12.002

M3 - Journal articles

VL - 24

SP - 22

EP - 32

JO - Space Policy

JF - Space Policy

SN - 0265-9646

IS - 1

ER -