[HOT] Pakistan Anti-Mapping Legislation: Implications for HOT/OSM

[Alex Barth]

Nighat Daad from the Digital Rights Foundation Pakistan just published this on Tech President:

http://techpresident.com/news/wegov/23188/pakistan-considering-bill-would-ban-independent-mapping-projects

"If the bill passes in to law, the SoP will be the regulatory body controlling all mapping activities. Any other body wishing to create a map will have to apply for permission to do so — and can expect to have their activities and their outputs controlled as a result."

On Nov 28, 2012, at 4:00 PM, Alex Barth <alex at mapbox.com> wrote:

> 
> Ok, I have created a quick blog post here that could go up on HOT. Kate, Harry, Faisal and others: could this work? Obviously I don't have publishing permissions on hot.osm.org so someone else would have to take this and run the last mile with it. Please feel free to change as you see fit. My intention was to highlight that this could have a real impact on citizen mapping, HOT and OpenStreetMap and that this impact is starting to show now.
> 
> https://gist.github.com/f657476887f3c84a32b1
> 
> PS: is anybody from HOT talking to OCHA or GFDRR?
> 
> On Nov 28, 2012, at 2:40 PM, Faisal Chohan <faisal at cogilent.com> wrote:
> 
>> I agree with the Alex suggestions. I Iike the idea to write about enefits of Openstreetmap data in disaster, transparency, business use, social issues ( that we are trying to do with sanitation in Rawalpindi), fighting corruption etc and then publish this in International and local media. We can also take good examples from other countries. I am happy to be part of this.
>> 
>> We tried to enhance and use Openstreetmap for the first time in Pakistan, resisting the use of Google maps that are in much better shape in Pakistan than Openstreetmap, but do not provide any Open Data. Google may comply with Government of Pakistan laws and then can continue improving its maps. But for Opnstreetmap, every individual and group  registering with  GOP will not be possible. Hence, improving and use of the the openstreetmap will be very limited after this law and will discourage innovation in this domain.
>> 
>> On the case of starting the Rawalpindi mapping, I had one personal bad experience turned into tragedy in the past and that is one of the personal reasons to be careful. But once i have my emotions in control, I am of the point of view to accelerate the project instead of stopping it.
> 
> Alex Barth
> http://twitter.com/lxbarth
> tel (+1) 202 250 3633
> 
> 
> 
> 

Alex Barth
http://twitter.com/lxbarth
tel (+1) 202 250 3633