Lawmaker wants Google Maps to blur certain buildings
Summary
Topics
Imagine if all the hospitals, schools, churches, and government buildings that appear on online maps were nothing but blurs.
That would not only reduce the usefulness of things like Google Maps and Google Earth, but it would be a huge undertaking for Google and would probably violate the First Amendment.
But that's exactly what California Assemblyman Joel Anderson, a Republican from El Cajon, is proposing in a measure dubbed "AB-255."
The measure would apply to Web site operators and online services that make "a virtual globe browser available to members of the public" and fails to define what that is. It also specifies that a violation would constitute a criminal offense with fines of up to $250,000 per day.
So, all the government agencies that use Google Earth and want the public to be able to find their buildings could conceivably be in violation as well.
As justification for the proposed censorship, Anderson is citing terrorism.
"We heard from terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks last year that they used Google Maps to select their targets and get knowledge about their targets. Hamas has said they were using Google Maps to target children's schools," Anderson told Computerworld. "What my bill does is limit the level of detail. It doesn't stop people from getting directions. We don't need to help bad people map their next target. What is the purpose of showing air ducts and elevator shafts? It does no good."
Google spokeswoman Elaine Filadelfo told Computerworld that the company hopes to talk to Anderson about the proposed legislation.
Privacy complaints have led Google to blur images of official buildings in several instances. The U.S. military banned Google from taking street view images from inside military bases and in 2007 India asked that certain government and military buildings be blurred.
This article was originally posted on CNET News.
Talkback Most Recent of 52 Talkback(s)
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The Mumbai Attackers did NOT use Google Street View
Any argument involving the Mumbai attacks is completely specious. Whatever the Mumbai attackers used, it could not have been any more detailed than an overhead satellite image. Google Street View is NOT available for India.
SID S-1-111th Mar 2009 -
Don't confuse the issue with facts
Remember, this is a politician we're talking about, and therefore the truth, reality, or other inconveniences have no place here.
alec.wood@...16th Mar 2009 -
Although not my representative...
Joel Anderson, a Republican shows that he has no clue about what the tenets of the Republican party are/were, and that he is delusional if he thinks that this action would do anything other than annoy the general populace.
I guess it's time to call my friends in San Diego county, and let them know what their 'representative' is doing.
chrome_slinky@...11th Mar 2009 -
Blur MY house
Rep. Anderson perhaps would like to have HIS house blurred, expecially at night.
wfd112th Mar 2009 -
Dude's on crack.
"What is the purpose of showing air ducts and elevator shafts? It does no good." WTF??? I really don't recall EVER seeing air ducts or elevator shafts on a Google Map, or in Google Earth.
Seriously, what planet is this guy from? Okay, let's blur the images ... now all a terrorist needs to do is .. look for a blurred out building and go, "Oh look, a blurred building. Let's bomb it. Who cares if it's government or a grade school."
Seriously ... if they're gonna bomb ya, they'll do it with or without Google Earth/Maps/whatever.
Guess they'd better go out and burn all the printed street maps that have icons pointing out the location of schools and government buildings too, eh?
Henaway11th Mar 2009 -
Oops!! It will lead to...
Oops!! It will lead a path to everyone to choose "not to be shown in the maps". Tomorrow a college, school, university, company, etc., may come and ask google to stop showing their premises on their map.
This will definitely be a bad lead then.
Cheers,
-Kathiravan Manoharan
http://kathyravan.blogspot.com
http://paisamechanic.blogspot.com
kmzdnetone11th Mar 2009 -
everything will end up being blurred
someone complained when Street view FIRST came out that their house isn't "private" anymore because of street view showing their house. A terrorist WON'T need google to look at a building because they will be there already blowing it up! How stupid can lawyers be? Just for 15mins of fame in order to make a buck.
Maarek Stele11th Mar 2009 -
this hawk is trying to redefine 'public'
There is a good reason certain institutions are called public....because people need to see and know them.
Next thing you know is to remove them from driving directions and aerial photos.
Linux Geek11th Mar 2009 -
RE: Lawmaker wants Google Maps to blur certain buildings
I guess my question would be, if the Terrorists have already downloaded the map data and pictures for something important, wouldn't it be like shutting the barn door AFTER the horse got out?
Maybe the Representative is meaning well, but not sure if the attainable effect is worth the effort.
jkohut11th Mar 2009 -
Well, God bless America!
Gee, isn't it great that only America has the technology to do high-resolution photos! And only blurring the images on public browsers--Brilliant! Thank God that people who could take out the ONLY hi-rise buildings in New York that used load-bearing walls instead of curtain walls aren't smart enough to realize they can just use a front company to BUY A SUBSCRIPTION to the hi-res service!!! And thank goodness that people who could come up with about half a million dollars to finance 9/11 don't have the financial resources for a monthly subscription!
Rick_R11th Mar 2009 -
Another Republican paranoiac...
...and probably convinced that all Muslims and anyone with any kind of accent is out to bomb something.
Henrik Moller11th Mar 2009 -
RE: Lawmaker wants Google Maps to blur certain buildings
Shouldn't we ban guns and explosives pages on Wikipedia too? And cars, since a lot of suicide bombers use them to get to their target. It's a long list of things to ban.
proadventurer11th Mar 2009 -
This is stupid... i didnt know republicans got elected in cali.
Other than arnold.. but he is more centerist any ways.
This moron needs to be ejected from the party for such stupid ramblings. His point of view should be.... why dont we fortify these buildings to stop people who actually went to site and scoped it out.... not lets blurr them.
You can buy subscriptions to services other than google to get this information. This kind of lawmaking is just bad for everyone.
Been_Done_Before11th Mar 2009 -
All my friends are Republican
Actually the only person I know that's democrat is my mom. I don't know how liberals keep getting elected, 'cause they certainly aren't popular in my social network.
Larsix12th Mar 2009 -
So now "just aim for the blurry spots"!!!???
Dumb as dirt.
bruce@...11th Mar 2009
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