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Google Pulls StreetView Images Per U.S. Government

posted by lxnyce on Friday March 07, @12:22AM   Printer-friendly   Email story  Permalink  Trackback URI  Slashdotthis  Diggthis  Del.icio.us
from the Bigger-brother-watching-big-brother-watching-us dept.
Google Governments Military
From the All Points Blog : "We have been contacted by the military," Google spokesman Larry Yu said. "In those instances where they (the U.S military) have expressed concerns about the imagery, we have accommodated their requests."... The images that worry the Pentagon include views of bases, including security at the entrances to those installations. "It actually shows where all the guards are. It shows how the barriers go up and down. It shows how to get in and out of buildings," said Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command.

For more information and a link to the original article, please visit the All Points Blog.
Update: 03/07 21:51 GMT by S :Slashdot users also discuss the issue. I dare remind our users that anyone can Google to remove specific StreetView imagery.

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Google's StreetView Imagery Removing Process 1 comment [+]
Google's recent StreetView feature generated a lot of ink lately. All Points Blog links to a Wired article describing how people can indicate Google to remove imagery where they can be seen. From the article: "Google has blinked, backing down from its demand for my driver's license and a sworn statement and agreeing not to use the information I submit for any purpose other than processing my request." Google product counsel Daphne Keller personally phoned Bankston to tell him about the change in policy, and then Google's help desk sent him the new requirements: [...] (1) Your name (2) The location of the image in our service [...] That means Google has no content-based standard for a take-down, and no verification that the requester is the person pictured."
US Set to Use Spy Satellites on US Citizens [+]
Slashdot discuss a story informing us the United States are set to use spy satellites on US citizens. Their summary: "A plan to use U.S. spy satellites for domestic security and law-enforcement missions is moving forward after being delayed for months because of privacy and civil liberties concerns. The plan is in the final stage of completion, according to a department official who requested anonymity because the official was not authorized to speak publicly about it. While some internal agencies have had access to spy satellite imagery for purposes such as assisting after a natural disaster, this would be the first time law-enforcement would be able to obtain a warrant and request access to satellite imagery." Not entirely related, the same site discussed the shooting down of a dying spy satellite in early March. Also from the same site, a discussion on how relatively easy it is to spot satellites and how it makes governments uneasy. Some related stories below.
Google Pulls StreetView Imagery In Response To Military Request [+]
Google has pulled StreetView images showing military bases, at the request of the U.S. Military.

See the All Points Blog story for more information.
Chinese Gov Targets Mapping Sites 1 comment [+]
From the The Map Room blog : “The Chinese government is to crack down on illegal online map and geographical information websites, claiming they threaten state security, said an official of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping (SBSM) on Tuesday.” Crimes perpetrated by evildoers range from publishing sensitive information that poses a security risk to showing Taiwan as a country.

For a link to the actual article, please visit the Map Room blog.
StreetView GMaps API [Updated] [+]
The Digital Earth Blog brings us news about this new StreetView API. From the actual press release, here is a snippet : "We've worked hard to ensure that Street View in the API gives developers the power and control they need to embed this functionality in their own websites in whatever way they wish. The API allows you to embed one or multiple panoramas in any location on a site and move, remove, hide and unhide them as necessary. Panoramas can also be easily integrated with the rest of the Google Maps API to allow synchronization between the map and the panorama viewer. The blue tile layer overlays which show where Street View data is available can be added to your own maps using the GStreetviewOverlay class. The following example mimics the Google Maps functionality with the tile layer and rotating Street View icon"

For more information and the full artcle, please visit the links above.
Update: 03/28 19:28 GMT by S : The official Google LatLong blog also informs us 13 new U.S. cities now have StreetView data.
Street View Catches House On Fire [+]
I saw a link via the %scratchworkspace% blog which eventually leads to this article on the Valleywag blog which has an interesting twist to the Google Street View privacy issue. From the Valleywag article : "Google Street View's picture of a burning house on Eagle Point Drive in Sherwood, Arkansas, went viral over the weekend, prompting the solicitous censors of Mountain View to remove a 360-degree chunk of imagery from Google Maps. Google can erase the picture, but it can't erase this fact: The Google Street View car making the rounds in the neighborhood that day kept driving past the burning home, taking its assigned pictures. All of these images, like the one above, remain visible in Google Maps."
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