Feature Request: Collection Object/Collecting Event Locality Masking Enable/Disable Functionality (is_public)

[tmcelrath]

When I database a specimen (creating a collection object and a collecting event) that has sensitive locality information (such as locations of caves or endangered species), then I need an option somewhere to enable/disable that information ever leaving the private database. E.g. that data should never go out to GBIF or any export without EXPLICIT admin permission.

This could be on collection objects or collecting events, or both. Not sure which is best.

Use case: I have a specimen collected in a sensitive cave location. That information should never leave our database without admin permission. Only some information should go to aggregators.

Needed soon with upcoming improvements to exporting TaxonWorks CO data.

[mjy]

All row objects have is_public booleans (if they don't, we can add). Is suspect we shoudl treat this as an annotation and add to the radial annotator.

[proceps]

@tmcelrath I do not mind this feature, but my question is, what is the benefit of having protected information in the database at the first place? The specimen is know, it has an identifier, would it be enough to enter the Country and State information? If really needed, the note field could be used (which is not supposed to go to GBiF.

[tmcelrath]

@proceps Benefit would be the ability to give that data specifically to certain stakeholders (e.g. DNR, federal agencies, etc...). That data is valuable, but it shouldn't be publicly available from general exports. As a collection manager I want to be able to give that data out on a case-by-case basis, and be able to filter those records.

[tmcelrath]

Recently brought up by Ed DeWalt, who also needs this ASAP for some imperiled freshwater insect species.