google earth/satellite lies

[kotu]

how come certain things dont show up on google earth?

[Toby Stimpson]

Hmmm. I can guess 2 reason... 1. national security. 2. the rights to show certain things.

If a country does not want images taken of their country they have every right not to allow it. Same with military installations. Google could be royally hugged if it decided to take images of sensitive areas.

Just makes sense.

[kotu]

If a country does not want images taken of their country they have every right not to allow it.

by hacking into the other nations satellite?

[Toby Stimpson]

No, by applying to the country that Google's main office is in and filing a complaint of threat to national security. After all, Goggle might be a multinational company, but they are ultimately an american company. The Americans wouldn't allow a corporation to infringe on their national security, and so probably make legislative measures to block a corporation from putting out information that would infringe on a nation's sovereignty. Just liek how at certain military installations, it's a felony to take pictures... so too would it be a felony for Google Earth to publish images of certain areas.

If not through the host country, certainly through organizations such as NATO or NAFTA

[kotu]

do you know how many countries own (make) their own satellites?

[Toby Stimpson]

But we're not talking about a country here. We're talking about a corporation that has to follow prescribed laws.

case in point:
http://www.google.com/privacy_faq.html#toc-earth-images

Undoubtedly there are countries that take pictures of other countries... it makes only sense since airspace ends at the beginning of space. But it's one thing to gather that information, it's another to post it on a website accessible by anyone and commercially use that information.

So, how does Google earth lie?

[kotu]

dont know

just being paranoid

[Toby Stimpson]

hehe, awww. Its all okay. They can't get you on mysticwicks ;) jk

[MammaStar]

I just read an article on this very topic from an old Discover magazine. "No place to hole" Discover August 2008. The article talked about how the government is trying to keep certain sites (ie military bases) under wraps through the satellite monitoring. However, sites like Google Earth can't really be regulated much to the government's concern. In the article there is a picture of an American nuclear sub with the propeller out in the open. For 30 years, the propeller of a nuke sub have been a well kept secret, but one day, up in WA a satellite photo was taken and the propeller exposed. Google Earth uses old images. I know because I've played around with it. Our house shows my hubby's old car (2 cars ago). The article also spoke about how Area 51 is now exposed, that with the right satellite and equipment you can see cars, dumpsters and office space in addition to anything else that goes on around there. I like goofing around with Google Earth, but I'd rather our bases and strategic sites be blurred and not so easily accessed. Big Brother is indeed watching.

[EJ1096]

From what Ive seen with google they use several passes from various satilites to get their images. And as one other poster said the pictures are old... WAY old. Over my dads house as you zoom in to his house the season actually changes. At one level theres snow on the ground and at the next level theres green grass. I have no doubt that there are areas that you cant get detailed close up images due to security reasons. But there are some areas that they just have not spent money on resources (satilite movement) to get detailed images. probably because there's nothing of interest (open field/ water).