Let’s face it, Google is used to getting banned all around the world. Google owned YouTube alone has been banned in several countries for various reasons and now they have yet another ban to add to the list. Google’s latest ban comes from U.S. Officials at the Pentagon who sent out a message to all of their military bases stating that Google, under no circumstances, is to be permitted to enter bases to capture imaging for Google Street View. This came after footage from a base in Texas mistakenly appeared on Street View.
Google says that taking pictures in military bases is against their policy and the instance in question in Texas was a mistake. It’s reported that their crew mistakenly asked for access into the base and somehow, the military gave it to them. It wasn’t until the images appeared online that there was concern. From the images people could tell where the guards were, how the barriers went up and down, and how to get in and out of buildings which poses a risk.
Once the military discovered the images, they contacted Google to have them removed, and Google promptly complied. It is interesting that when Google asked to enter the base, that they received permission. Clearly they weren’t at fault for entering when someone gave them permission in the first place!
Source: Inquirer
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Tags: Google
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Wow, that’s just plain dumb. Makes me question military security.
Seems like a Public Affairs Office goof. Even so, Google should have been smart enough to not even ask in the first place. There are plenty of places in the U.S. where it is illegal to take photos or video. There are signs in every Post Office that make that statement and it’s a very common at most Federal lands (office buildings and such, I don’t mean National Parks) and certainly at critical infrastructure like nuclear power plants.
I don’t feel sorry for Google. They of all people should know It’s illegal to photograph military installations. But how they got on….we’ll never know.
I don’t think you can blame Google because I think they purchase the imagery from other companies. This is pretty shocking that they could have gotten in to take pictures so easily.