Google Maps Limiting Resolution of Israel Satellite Images
According to IsraelNN.com, Google is limiting the resolution of sensitive Israeli military installations and ‘vulnerable’ sites. Google has come under pressure from various nations such as India & Thailand over the detailed satellite images used in the Google Map program. Such map images, argue the countries, could be easily used by terrorist or separatist militants.
This is the first censorship of International maps that I have heard of from Google Maps. If there are any others, please feel free to list them below in the comments field.
From IsraelNN : Google currently offers satellite photos of eight locations in Israel: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Masada, the Dimona Nuclear Research Center (DNRC), Sdot Micha (listed as a nuclear weapons base), the Kinneret, and the Mizpe Ramon crater.
Photos of Israel will only be available up to a two meter resolution.
It’s not really censorship, but federal law. Commercial providers of satellite images aren’t allowed to make images of Israel available with better resolution than two meters.
We touched on the story yesterday; More here.
Censoring of Military Bases or Important Infrastructure is quite common in Google Maps. There are even a couple of censored Images in Germany, Netherlands, Ireland, …
For a interesting list consult Wikipedia:
> http://goo.gl/Gzc91
Cheers,
Snafu