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China to Regulate Internet Map Publishing
posted by Satri
on Tuesday May 13, @11:19AM
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from the when-maps-are-uninvited dept.
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Slashdot discuss a story named China to Regulate Internet Map Publishing.
We discussed the censure of maps in China on many occasions, see related stories below. Ogle Earth provides an AFP article on the new China efforts to bring down illegal maps. Spatial Sustain links to a China Popular Computer Week article translation.
The Slashdot summary: "After text, pictures, and videos, China starts regulating Internet map publishing (here is the google translation.) The government believes that Internet maps can represent the state's sovereignty and its political and diplomatic positions in the international community — and consequently, inaccurate maps could harm national interests and dignity, produce bad political influences, reveal national secrete and harm national security, in addition to harming consumer interests. So from now on, publishing maps would require approval and (yet another) license from the state survey bureau. That means Google, Yahoo, etc., need to remove China from the map; or maybe they just pay up some officials and their agents to acquire yet another license. And our newest 80Gbps DPI monsters need to be upgraded to identify maps together with porn."
Related Stories
Technology: Online Maps in China
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Very Spatial points to an article about China online mapping. From the article's conclusion: "Moreover, the location and map system on mobile phones has become a profit growth engine in China. It has already been used in public security, agriculture and marine sectors, according to China Unicom and China Mobile."
Google Earth Censored in China?
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The Oogle Earth blog has a discussion about censorship of GE in China and links to a Wall Street Journal article on the subject. From the article: "Until recently, Google's map and satellite-photo service offered Chinese Internet users something they rarely could see: a bird's-eye view of the secret compound of Zhongnanhai, where the country's top leaders live and work.
But in recent weeks, close-up views from Google's satellite images of the leadership compound in Beijing have been blocked in at least parts of China. It's not clear how widespread the blocking is, or whether the government is behind it. Google says it didn't alter that part of its service for Chinese users."
China Tightening Control of Surveying, Mapping by Foreigners 1 comment
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AnyGeo links to a short article that confirms a previous story on China tightening control of surveying, mapping by foreigners. From the article: "A new regulation restricting surveying and mapping by foreigners will be implemented in China on March 1.
"The regulation will strengthen China's management of surveying and mapping by foreign organizations and individuals, protect national security, and promote economic and scientific cooperation between China and other countries," said an official from the State Bureau of Survey and Mapping on Thursday."
Chinese Edition of Google Maps is Censored, France Too 1 comment
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Ogle Earth discuss the censorship of the Chinese edition of Google Maps. From the blog: "He concludes that there is censorship in the Chinese version of Google Maps (and the omission of the disputed Arunachai Pradesh area between China and India is a clear giveaway), but notes that both versions are available in China — so you can always use the international version if you want. [...] The more likely answer is that Google is bending to demands of the Chinese government as a price for being able to operate in the country." In another entry, OE discuss new imagery censorship in France for Google data. See previous related stories below.
China's Large RFID Tracking Network
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Slashdot covers a story on China wanting to deploy the largest people-tracking network in the world, using geospatial technologies such as RFID chips. Their summary: "News.com reports that China is building the largest and most sophisticated people-tracking network in the world, all to track citizens in the city of Shenzhen. This network utilizes 20,000 intelligent digital cameras and RFID cards to keep track of the 12.4 million people living in the Southern port city. The key to the system is the new residency cards fitted with powerful computer chips. 'Data on the chip will include not just the citizen's name and address but also work history, educational background, religion, ethnicity, police record, medical insurance status and landlord's phone number. Even personal reproductive history will be included, for enforcement of China's controversial "one child" policy. Plans are being studied to add credit histories, subway travel payments and small purchases charged to the card.' While I lived in Shenzhen, there indeed were (and still are) plenty of crimes. One of my friend who lived at the 20th floor of a condo building in a nice neighborhood saw an intruder in the middle of one night while he was sleeping. Still, this will clearly raise the fear of human rights abuses. And ... ' one of the most startling aspects of this plan is that this project is mostly made possible by an American company with solid venture fundings.'" See also related stories below.
GIS in China and City8: New Chinese 3D Street Map Service
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The Geopatial Semantic Web Blog shows a 3D street map service for China: "Unfortunately, this [Google street view] service is only available for major cities in the US. [...] City8.com is Chinese web map service that shows street level photographs of major Chinese cities. The site also features some social web functions. Users can vote on popular city locations and recommend places to eat, shop and play." In addition to previous related stories below, the GeoCarta blog links to a recent article saying: " China's geographic information industry has registered 400 billion yuan in aggregate output value last year and hired more than 300,000 people, according to Zhong Ershun, deputy president of the China Association for Geographic Information System."
Microsoft Extends Map Site To China
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Cnet is currently running an article detailing this. From their summary : "Microsoft has launched Live Search 地图, the China branch of its Virtual Earth project.
Compared to Google's ditu.google.cn and Sogou's (搜狗) map.sogou.com, the seems about the same, if a little faster--though traffic may still be low. What Google and Microsoft have in common is that the maps contain listings for restaurants, banks, and other locations rendered as icons on the map. Sogou has no such advantage, but sometimes it resolves addresses better than Google."
For more detailed information and links to the live site, please visit the cnet article link.
For more detailed information and links to the live site, please visit the cnet article link.
Chinese Gov Targets Mapping Sites 1 comment
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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.
For a link to the actual article, please visit the Map Room blog.
China Opening Up to Neogeography while North Korea Resists
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Last week, Ogle Earth offered an informative entry on China opening up to neogeography. See the previous related stories below about China's past attitude. Meanwhile, APB informs us North Korea is doing the inverse, no car-equiped GPS or GPS phones will be allowed in the country: "But with the new measure, the North will expel any South Korean found with a mobile phone or GPS and confiscate the equipment, Unification Ministry officials said."
From the OE entry: "Reading between the lines, I can think of two specific reasons for this change of heart:
1. It was embarrassing that everyone but the Chinese could see satellite imagery of Beijing transformed by glorious new stadiums during the Olympics. In fact, there were plenty of informal ways for those behind the Great Chinese Firewall to see the imagery — just not officially.
2. The earthquake in Sichuan on May 12, 2008, drove home beyond all doubt to Chinese leaders what a huge boon easy access to satellite imagery is in disaster relief operations. (That earthquake struck just a week after China announced it would investigate Google Maps for maps "that wrongly depict China's borders or that reveal military secrets.")"
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China to Regulate Internet Map Publishing
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Let the map-making begin
(Score:2, Interesting)Re:Let the map-making begin
(Score:3, Informative)@deadlus: They don't have jurisdiction over you, so I'm not sure what kind of political statement you think you're making. Incidentally, Wikipedia has a very nice map of China's territorial claims already: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:China_administ