Geospatial law, ethics & the edge of innovation: a conversation with Kevin Pomfret
In this eye-opening episode of Mapping the Conversations,host Dr. Valrie Grant sits down with Kevin Pomfret, a leading voice in geospatial law, policy, and ethics. Kevin, a partner at Williams Mullen and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, shares his fascinating journey from satellite imagery analyst to legal expert in the rapidly evolving geospatial field. Together, they explore the intersection of law, technology, and policy in an era where data is abundant and boundaries are constantly shifting.
Key Discussion Points:
- The Balance of Privacy and Innovation: Kevin unpacks the tension between public good and private risk,especially as location data and mapping technologies become ever more embeddedin daily life.
- AI and the Next Legal Battleground: How AI is challenging traditional legal norms and reshaping the geospatial sector. They discuss how emerging laws and court decisions willhave long-term impacts on geospatial applications and data use.
- Data Sovereignty & Governance: A deep dive into the growing trend of countries requiring data to remain within their borders—raising complex issues for global geospatialinitiatives and cross-border collaborations.
- Licensing & Liability Myths: Why data licensing isn’t just paperwork—it’s a manifestation of an organization’s entire business strategy. Kevin dispels common misconceptionsand explains how to navigate licensing complexities.
- Ethics & Responsibility: A candid discussion on why legal compliance is foundational to ethical practice in geospatial work, and how ethical conversations need to evolve alongside the diversity of the field.
- The Future of Geospatial Law: hear insights on the upcoming legal hurdles for geospatial professionals, from data governance to international regulation of Earth observation and national security concerns.
- Kevin’s Book & Future Projects: he shares the inspiration behind his book, Geospatial Law, Policy, and Ethics—designed as a critical resource for students and geospatialpractitioners—and hints at future projects, including potentially creating a “Geospatial Academy” to provide more structured learning on these pressing topics.
As Kevin notes, geospatial data was “big data before bigdata was cool.” In an era of digital twins, Earth observation, and AI, geospatial professionals must understand the complex legal landscape that governs their work. This conversation provides not just historical context buta crucial roadmap for navigating what’s next.
Tune in for an in-depth conversation that will leave you better equipped to ask the right questions—and to understand the profound role of law, policy and ethics in shaping how we map and manage the world around us.
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