Skip to main content

Licensing Geographic Data and Services (2004) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:

2 Society's Goals
Pages 31-38

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 31...
... This chapter summarizes societal goals that agencies often pursue within their legislated missions and U.S. government information policy generally.
Read the entire page →
From page 32...
... In many cases, political transparency may require distributing geographic data to anyone who wants it. Citizens need access to geographic data to become educated in the detailed functioning of government; to petition government agencies, lobby legislators, analyze regulatory decisions; or to challenge illegal actions and government abuses in court.
Read the entire page →
From page 33...
... Among the products of these programs are topographic maps, marine and aeronautical navigation charts, census data, and digital orthoimages.3 In the twenty-first _____________ 1See National Research Council, 1999, Distributed Geolibraries: Spatial Information Resources, Washington, D.C., National Academies Press. 2Although there are many government data distribution mechanisms that aim to meet consumer demand and improve data reuse (e.g., Geospatial OneStop, The National Map, and many local and state efforts)
Read the entire page →
From page 34...
... 2.5 SUPPORTING GOVERNMENT MISSIONS AND INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS Geographic data are widely used within and outside government to assist economic development, protect property rights, support education, maintain the nation's physical infrastructure, protect the environment, develop natural resources, support health care, protect national security, facilitate taxation, and ensure the safety, health, security, property, and privacy of individual citizens. For example, national security and law enforcement agencies may use anything from street-centerline data that provide a reference framework for tracking patrol cars to images of battlefields from space.
Read the entire page →
From page 35...
... National security and law enforcement agencies fear misuse of these data by hostile nations, terrorists, and criminals. On the other hand, businesses and government agencies at all levels need the data to make their operations more efficient and effective.
Read the entire page →
From page 37...
... Because the watersheds that affect erosion extend well beyond the county boundary, Ed Johnson goes to an online portal to find and download the data he needs. These data include up-to-date, detailed aerial imagery of the watersheds from a commercial database; soil type data from the U.S.
Read the entire page →

Key Terms

  • government data
  • enforcement agencies
  • government information
  • individual rights
  • promoting government

  • government accountability
  • law enforcement
  • government missions
  • aerial imagery
  • supporting government

  • purchase data
  • portal based
  • single societal
  • civilian applications
  • administering intellectual

  • including privacy
  • entire society
  • unrestricted government
  • national map
  • public information

  • online portal
  • data acquisition
  • purchasing preexisting
  • reference framework
  • data strategy

  • acquire geographic
  • support education
  • topographic maps
  • assist economic
  • data include


    • This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
    More information on Chapter Skim is available.