The popular Google Earth application has drawn scrutiny in India due to the striking accuracy of the satellite footage provided to its users. At the country’s request, Google will blur the locations of key government offices, implementing other camouflaging strategies as well.
Google Earth seems to be ruffling quite a bit of feathers in recent months.
The disdain of Indian officials for the application is yet another in the series of ongoing concerns surrounding Google Earth and the arbitrary access it freely gives to satellite imagery that could potentially be used to coordinate attacks.
India has been outspoken in its unease with Google Earth’s imaging of key military bases, and has asked the company to enlist measures to ensure the security of these installations.
Google has acquiesced to India’s desires, and will implement a series of changes designed to mask sensitive locations. The India Times has more:
Images of these locations will not be of more than 25-50 metre resolution, more like the older generation pictures provided by Indian Remote Sensing satellites. Official sources said Google Earth would distort building plans by adding structures where none existed or masking certain aspects of a facility.
This could be done without attracting attention to such establishments, which range from laboratories, mines, military sites, space and atomic centres and residences of high-profile VVIPs.
Last month, reports out of Basra showed that terrorists were using Google Earth to coordinate attacks against British bases in the Middle East.
With Google willing to implement camouflaging tactics for India, one has to wonder if other countries – especially those involved in the Iraq war – will make similar demands given the recent evidence that Google Earth could be used as a vehicle for military strikes against key bases and government centers.
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Joe is a staff writer for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest ebusiness news.
