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Indian GPS Cartographers Charged As Terrorists

Posted by timothy on from the well-lookie-here dept.

chrb writes "Following on from the discussion about Apple disabling GPS in Egyptian iPhones, we have a new case of the conflict between the traditional secrecy of government, and the widening availability of cheap, accurate GPS devices around the world. On 5th December, two software engineers employed by Biond Software in India were arrested for mapping highways using vehicle based GPS devices. Further evidence against the pair emerged when it was found that a laptop they had been using in the car contained some photos of the local airforce base. The company claims they had been commissioned by Nokia Navigator to create maps of local roads and terrain. Following an investigation by the Anti Terrorist Squad of Gujarat the cartographers have now been charged with violating the Official Secrets Act and will remain in custody."

2 of 269 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Official Secrets Act != Terrorism Charge by gonz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Actually, no, you can legally photograph nearly everything you can see from public land in the US. There are a few places where they're known to lack a sense of humor about it, but almost everything is fair game.

    A few years ago I took a tourist photo of the Pentagon in D.C. from just outside the metro stop, which is pretty far away from the building. A security officer came and asked me to delete the photo from my camera. I explained that it wasn't a digital camera, but rather a disposable film camera. He said that officially he should make me throw it away, but instead allowed me to go on condition that I didn't take any more photos.

    You're right that the law allows people to take tourist photos. But where "security" is concerned, it apparently doesn't matter what the law says.

    -Gonz

  2. Indian Penal Code by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you think 1923 is old, check out the complete IPL (Indian Penal Code - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Penal_Code). There are still many laws from 1860s.

    Back on topic, as an Indian, I can tell you that it's nowhere clear what you can take pictures of and what you can not. In India, its very easy to break laws not knowing what is legal and what isn't, and you would not know until you are caught - either by a cheap street cop looking for some quick money or by completely incompetent higher ups who have no idea about technology or reality, or simply, common sense.