There are laws making it illegal to collect data on open land [View all]

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There are laws making it illegal to collect data on open land
Wyoming law—which forbids testing water quality, taking photos—is being challenged.

by David Kravets - Oct 2, 2015 12:50pm CDT




Wyoming lawmakers adopted legislation making it illegal to gather data on open space—such as performing water quality tests or taking photographs—for the purpose of reporting to the government harmful farming practices, environmental degradation, or other ills.

The two-part legislative package, signed by Gov. Matt Mead earlier this year, is the subject of a constitutional legal challenge from environmentalists, animal rights advocates, and the media.

The legislation is so onerous that it disallows regulators from even acting upon evidence of wrongdoing if the data was gathered without a landowners' permission, even if the data was gathered on public land. And it gives private landowners fodder to sue for trespassing.
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2015/10/there-are-laws-making-it-illegal-to-collect-data-on-open-land/