A San Francisco-based satellite company says it temporarily restricted access to its widely used images during the Iran war, at the request of the Trump administration.
Planet told SFGate it limited access because the government expressed concerns about the “potential misuse” of its ultra-high-definition images.
“These are extraordinary and dynamic circumstances, and these decisions have been made in an effort to balance national security and personnel safety concerns with our transparency mission,” the company told the outlet, adding that it had released “nearly all” of the images it restricted between March 9 and July 1.
Planet added that it is “temporarily reinstating a delay on publishing of images” over Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan as the Iran war has ratcheted back up.
The Independent has contacted the White House, Pentagon and Planet for comment.
The government asked all satellite image providers to withhold imagery of the Middle East and Iran indefinitely, Reuters reported in April.
Planet reportedly was among the companies that heeded Trump administration calls for some restrictions.
"These are extraordinary circumstances, and we are doing all we can to balance the needs of all our stakeholders," the firm reportedly told customers in an email of its decision to use a "managed distribution of images,” according to the outlet.
In March, shortly after the first phase of the Iran war began, the company reportedly imposed a 14-day delay on imagery of the Middle East.
The European Union, meanwhile, announced this month it would institute a one-day delay on the release of satellite images showing shipping lanes near the Strait of Hormuz captured by its Copernicus Earth observation program.
Iran has made a point of attacking U.S. and allied bases distributed throughout the Middle East.
Operational security concerns reportedly prompted a top U.S. commander to warn troops that cellphone videos of their time serving overseas could help Tehran target U.S. forces.
The military is reportedly weighing some kind of mobile phone ban as a result.
Skeptics of the data restrictions suggest these policies may not have much of an impact, given that technologically advanced nations with satellite networks such as China and Russia are thought to be aiding Iran’s war effort.
The Trump administration insists Iran’s military capabilities are devastated by months of fighting, but Tehran has managed to continue targeting American forces with little interruption.
