New Jersey Geospatial Users Group

Point locations for public schools in New Jersey is now available in personal geodatabase form. The dataset, created by the Office of GIS with information from the Department of Education, is available for download through NJGIN.

Atanas Entchev has posted some notes he received from the recent Municipal Users Group meeting. Worth the read.

GIS is considered by some to be an invasive technology. Even though some of the “invasive” data like lot lines and ownership are in the public domain, the easy access to large data stores of personal information is a cause for concern among privacy advocates.

Some information is protected under federal laws like HIPAA, State laws (such as our own OPRA) often protect information that could be used to identify an individual. The Government Records Council has upheld redaction of information that personally identifies an individual. Any other information stored by a government entity (with exceptions) can be requested by anyone.

Google is now making the case that complete privacy does not exist. Some agree with Google. I personally feel that if it’s something that’s available to you but not readily accessible, making it accessible through the internet is not an invasion of privacy. What’s your take on privacy? Where should the line be drawn?

New Jersey Geospatial Forum’s OPRA Task Force will be hosting a meeting with Government Records Council Executive Director Catherine Starghill. The meeting will take place at the Department of Community Affairs on Friday, July 18th at 10am.