WASHINGTON — The United States has asked satellite imagery providers to withhold distribution of photos from the Iran conflict zone, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.
Planet Labs said it is shifting to a managed access model for images of the region, sharing them on a case-by-case basis and only for “urgent, mission critical requirements or in the public interest.”
A company spokesperson said the US government has requested satellite firms to delay distributing imagery of the conflict zone indefinitely, adding that the revised policy will remain in effect until the war ends.
Planet had already slowed the release of imagery from the area, citing concerns that the data could be exploited by US adversaries.
The move comes as commercial satellite operators increasingly provide high-resolution imagery to a wide range of clients, including private sectors such as agriculture and insurance.
US national security agencies are among the largest customers for such data, giving the government significant influence over how satellite companies manage access during conflicts.
Vantor, which works with US national security agencies, has also tightened controls on image distribution during the war, partly due to the sensitivity of its high-resolution imagery.
The developments come as the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its sixth week.
Source: Saudi Gazette