Planet Labs, a California-based Earth-observation company, is withholding its satellite imagery of Iran indefinitely in response to a request from the U.S. government. The decision was met with concern from Victoria Samson, chief director of space security and stability for the nonprofit Secure World Foundation, who believes it could set a precedent for future restrictions on satellite imagery. The company, which operates a large fleet of satellites that capture images of our planet for sale to government agencies or companies, also uses satellite imagery for non-military purposes and to monitor the true extent of damages inflicted during wartime. However, Samson believes this decision could impact the American public's ability to understand what is happening, rather than impact the impact of the battlefield. Planet Labs has previously freely shared important satellite imagery, including photos that have helped first responders deal with natural disasters and Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.