Blurred Out: 51 Things You Aren't Allowed to See on Google Maps (Some odd censorship)

I T Security ^ | September 14, 2008 | staff

[tlb]

Whether it’s due to government restrictions, personal-privacy lawsuits or mistakes, Google Maps has slapped a "Prohibited" sign on the following 51 places.

1. The White House: Google Maps' images of the White House show a digitally erased version of the roof in order to obscure the air-defense and security assets that are in place.

5. PAVE PAWS in Cape Cod, Mass.: PAVE PAWS is the U.S. Air Force Space Command’s radar system for missile warning and space surveillance. There are two other installations besides the one in Cape Cod.

19. Bahrain: In August 2006, Bahrain's Ministry of Information instructed the country's Internet exchange to block access to Google Earth servers. The ban lasted three days. Internet rumors claimed that the ban's goal was to keep poorer citizens from viewing the elaborate residences and private jets of the country's rich, in order to keep secret the inequity of wealth distribution in Bahrain.

21. Singapore: In April 2008, the country's government claimed that the ban stemmed from a dispute between SLA (Singapore Land Authority) and Google over copyright issues. SLA alleged that the satellite images on Google Earth are direct copies of real geographic features in Singapore and infringe upon the organization's copyrights.

27. Central/Eastern village of Yona, on the Pacific Island Territory of Guam: It’s unknown why this location is censored.

47. HAARP (High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program) Antenna Array on the Alaska/Yukon Border: This is part of the site for HAARP, which studies ionospheric-radio science.

[tlb]

Much you'd expect, but much not on the list you think would be. Area 51 is available, so is Vandenberg and Norfolk. A few nuke sites but most are off the list.

Also when this gets around, probably a new Art Bell program will come from the HAARP mention.

[Mikey_1962]

So we have air defenses on the White House but not the Pentagon?

[Steely Tom]

Try looking for the VP’s house at the US Naval Observatory.

[org.whodat]

on the Pacific Island Territory of Guam: B52's landing zone.

[Kevmo]

bmflr

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

1. The White House: Google Maps’ images of the White House show a digitally erased version of the roof in order to obscure the air-defense and security assets that are in place.

Do you really think it's odd that Google would mask that info? I don't.

[Gamecock]

#14 Ramstein Air Base in Germany: Ramstein Air Base figures prominently in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. It’s the home of the 86th Airlift Wing and headquarters of U.S. Air Forces in Europe. It is also a NATO installation. Americans, Canadians, Germans, British, French and other nationalities comprise the base’s population.

______________________________________________________________

Actually, only part of the tarmac and the terminal complex are blurred out. I’m actually surprised by what I can see.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

50. Playland Amusement Park in Rye, N.Y.: Google will not let you in on the fun at this amusement park, which boasts arcade games and 45 major rides.

Also the setting for the magic fortune telling machine in the movie Big.

[null and void]

I don’t either. OTOH, #49 is William Hurt’s Home: This actor’s home outside of Paris is hazy.

[pnh102]

Funny how this Russkie site wasn't on the list. Unless I missed it.

[RedRover]

Here’s another for the list. Last I looked, the Haditha Dam and environs in Anbar were blurred out on Google Earth.

[Koblenz]

I am surprised by the number of locations in the Netherlands that made this list. As far as White Plains RR station goes, why? That's an all concrete ugly building, and there are many buildings around it that are higher, and I'm sure at least one of them is a hotel. So getting aerial shots of the RR station shouldn't be difficult at all. Of course, you could also just fly a plane from nearby Westchester Airport and take pictures (with some sort of zoom lens). Playland is not far away and should be easy to take pictures of from overhead.

Are these things available froms maps.live.com, which I find much cooler than google maps?

[toldyou]

Try your house on:

http://www.yellowpages.com....
Click on “Maps and Directions.”
Type in address.
Click on “Bird’s Eye” located within map area.

Mine and friends’ homes are clearer than google maps...

[ErnBatavia]

Mine and friends’ homes are clearer than google maps...

Just tried that...can get aerial, but Birdseye not available. Our home is on Google street view however.

[null and void]

I don’t seem to have a “bird’s eye” option.

[ScreamingFist]

Damn. You mean are moonbat brothers from third world crapholes, with no abilities to put a recon bird in orbit, can’t see everything on Earth? Just damn...;)

[ViLaLuz]

Our house from street view is also seen on zillow.com. To me it’s creepy. I don’t give permission for that.

[DeLaine]

Last night I got a phone call on my home phone. A moderated, even pleasant, female voice said

“What’s the password?”

I didn’t know what to say, I didn’t catch on that it wasn’t a real person.

So I just said “The password?” and she said it a couple more times.

Then “We’re wasting time, what’s the password?”

Then she said “The password is on the screen right in front of you” and I knew THAT wasn’t true, I have a Mac and I just don’t think it could be invaded like this, and besides, I wasn’t in front of a computer.

Then again “What’s the password?” so I said our family password, just for kicks.

And again, “Just say the password” so I obediently said “The password”

Then “You don’t know the password do you, hang up the phone and wait for instructions”

It ultimately happened 3 times in a very short time. Unknown name and unknown number. It was a little unnerving.

Weird!!