Google Earth

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Google Earth

show
Screenshot

Original author(s) Keyhole, Inc.

Developer(s) Google

Initial release June 11, 2001; 20 years ago

• macOS
Stable release
7.3.3.7786 (July 21, 2020; 11 months ago[1]) [±]
• Windows
7.3.3.7786 (July 21, 2020; 11 months ago[2]) [±]
• Linux
7.3.3.7786 (July 21, 2020; 11 months ago[2]) [±]
• Google Chrome
9.131.0.1 [3] [±]
• Android
9.132.1.1 (April 12, 2021; 2 months ago[4]) [±]
• iOS
9.134.0 (April 4, 2021; 3 months ago[5]) [±]
 Preview release Windows, macOS, Linux
7.3.3 (April 20, 2020; 14 months ago[6]) [±]

Written in C++

Operating system Google Chrome Web

App, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android 5.0 +, iOS
12.2 +

Available in Various languages

Type Virtual globe

License Freeware

Website google.com/earth

Google Earth is a computer program, formerly known as Keyhole EarthViewer, that

renders a 3D representation of Earth based primarily on satellite imagery. The program
maps the Earth by superimposing satellite images, aerial photography, and GIS
data onto a 3D globe, allowing users to see cities and landscapes from various angles.
Users can explore the globe by entering addresses and coordinates, or by using
a keyboard or mouse. The program can also be downloaded on a smartphone or tablet,
using a touch screen or stylus to navigate. Users may use the program to add their own
data using Keyhole Markup Language and upload them through various sources, such
as forums or blogs. Google Earth is able to show various kinds of images overlaid on
the surface of the earth and is also a Web Map Service client. Recently Google has
revealed that Google Earth now covers more than 98 percent of the world, and has
captured 10 million miles of Street View imagery, a distance that could circle the globe
more than 400 times.
In addition to Earth navigation, Google Earth provides a series of other tools through the
desktop application, including a measure distance tool. Additional globes for
the Moon and Mars are available, as well as a tool for viewing the night sky. A flight
simulator game is also included. Other features allow users to view photos from various
places uploaded to Panoramio, information provided by Wikipedia on some locations,
and Street View imagery. The web-based version of Google Earth also includes
Voyager, a feature that periodically adds in-program tours, often presented by scientists
and documentarians.
Google Earth has been viewed by some as a threat to privacy and national security,
leading to the program being banned in multiple countries. Some countries have
requested that certain areas be obscured in Google's satellite images, usually areas
containing military facilities.
 Contents

• 1History
• 2Imagery
o 2.13D imagery
o 2.2Street View
o 2.3Water and ocean
• 3Outer space
o 3.1Google Sky
o 3.2Google Mars
o 3.3Google Moon
• 4Other features
o 4.1Flight simulators
o 4.2Liquid Galaxy
• 5Versions
o 5.1Google Earth Pro
o 5.2Google Earth Plus
o 5.3Google Earth Enterprise
o 5.4Google Earth Studio
o 5.5Google Earth 9
o 5.6Google Earth Plug-in
o 5.7Google Earth VR
• 6Google Earth Outreach
• 7Google Earth Engine
• 8Controversy and criticism
o 8.1Defense
o 8.2National security
o 8.3Other concerns
• 9See also
• 10References
• 11External links

History[edit]
The core technology behind Google Earth was originally developed at Intrinsic Graphics
in the late 1990s. At the time, the company was developing 3D gaming software
libraries.[7] As a demo of their 3D software, they created a spinning globe that could be
zoomed into, similar to the Powers of Ten film.[7] The demo was popular, but the board
of Intrinsic wanted to remain focused on gaming, so in 1999, they created Keyhole, Inc.,
headed by John Hanke.[7] Keyhole then developed a way to stream large databases of
mapping data over the internet to client software, a key part of the technology,[8] and
acquired patchworks of mapping data from governments and other sources.[7] The
product, called "Keyhole EarthViewer", was sold on CDs for use in fields such as real
estate, urban planning, defense, and intelligence; users paid a yearly fee for the
service.[8] Despite making a number of capital deals with Nvidia and Sony,[8] the small
company was struggling to pay and retain employees.[7]
Fortunes for the company changed in early 2003 when CNN received a discount for the
software in exchange for placing the Keyhole logo on-air whenever the map was
used.[8][7] Keyhole did not expect it would amount to more than brief 5- or 10-second
prerecorded animation clips, but it was used extensively by Miles O'Brien live during
the 2003 invasion of Iraq, allowing CNN and millions of viewers to follow the progress of
the war in a way that had never been seen before.[8][7] Public interest in the software
exploded and Keyhole servers were not able to keep up with demand.[8][7] Keyhole was
soon contacted by the Central Intelligence Agency's venture capital firm, In-Q-Tel,[9] and
the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency,[10] for use with defense mapping databases,
which gave Keyhole a much-needed cash infusion.[7] Intrinsic Graphics was sold in 2003
to Vicarious Visions after its gaming libraries did not sell well, and its core group of
engineers and management transitioned to Keyhole with Hanke remaining at the head.[7]
At the time, Google was finding that over 25% of its searches were of a geospatial
character, including searches for maps and directions.[7] In October 2004, Google
acquired Keyhole as part of a strategy to better serve its users.[11]

Imagery[edit]
Google Earth's imagery is displayed on a digital globe, which displays the planet's
surface using a single composited image from a far distance. After zooming in far
enough, the imagery transitions into different imagery of the same area with finer detail,
which varies in date and time from one area to the next. The imagery is retrieved
from satellites or aircraft.[12] Before the launch of NASA and the USGS's Landsat
8 satellite, Google relied partially on imagery from Landsat 7, which suffered from a
hardware malfunction that left diagonal gaps in images.[13] In 2013, Google
used datamining to remedy the issue, providing what was described as a successor to
the Blue Marble image of Earth, with a single large image of the entire planet. This was
achieved by combining multiple sets of imagery taken from Landsat 7 to eliminate
clouds and diagonal gaps, creating a single "mosaic" image.[14] Google now uses
Landsat 8 to provide imagery in a higher quality and with greater frequency.[15] Imagery
is hosted on Google's servers, which are contacted by the application when opened,
requiring an Internet connection.
Imagery resolution ranges from 15 meters of resolution to 15 centimeters. For much of
the Earth, Google Earth uses digital elevation model data collected by NASA's Shuttle
Radar Topography Mission.[16] This creates the impression of three-dimensional terrain,
even where the imagery is only two-dimensional.
Google asserts that every image created from Google Earth using satellite data
provided by Google Earth is a copyrighted map. Any derivative from Google Earth is
made from data on which Google claims copyright under United States Copyright Law.
Google grants licenses in this data allowing, among other things, non-commercial
personal use of the images (e.g., on a personal website or blog) as long as copyrights
and attributions are preserved.[17] By contrast, images created with NASA's globe
software WorldWind use The Blue Marble, Landsat, or USGS imagery, each of which is
in the public domain.
In version 5.0, Google introduced Historical Imagery, allowing users to view earlier
imagery. Clicking the clock icon in the toolbar opens a time slider, which marks the time
of available imagery from the past. This feature allows for observation of an area's
changes over time.[18] Utilizing the timelapse feature allows for the ability to view a
zoomable video as far back as 32 years.[19]
3D imagery[edit]

Countries with 3D coverage in Google Earth as of November 2019.

Countries with 3D coverage.

Countries with former 3D coverage (Taiwan).

3D imagery in the iOS version of Google Earth, seen here at Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Google Earth shows 3D building models in some cities, including photorealistic 3D

imagery made using photogrammetry.[20] The first 3D buildings in Google Earth were
created using 3D modeling applications such as SketchUp and, beginning in
2009, Building Maker,[21] and were uploaded to Google Earth via the 3D Warehouse. In
June 2012, Google announced that it would be replacing user-generated 3D buildings
with an auto-generated 3D mesh.[22] This would be phased in, starting with select larger
cities, with the notable exception of cities such as London and Toronto which required
more time to process detailed imagery of their vast number of buildings. The reason
given is to have greater uniformity in 3D buildings and to compete with Nokia
Here and Apple Maps, which were already using this technology. The coverage began
that year in 21 cities in four countries.[23] By early 2016, 3D imagery had been expanded
to hundreds of cities in over 40 countries, including every U.S. state and encompassing
every continent except Antarctica.
In 2009, in a collaboration between Google and the Museo del Prado in Madrid, the
museum selected 14 of its paintings to be photographed and displayed at the resolution
of 14,000 megapixels inside the 3D version of the Prado in Google Earth and Google
Maps.[24][25]
Street View[edit]
Main article: Google Street View

On April 15, 2008, with version 4.3, Google fully integrated Street View into Google
Earth.[26] Street View displays 360° panoramic street-level photos of select cities and
their surroundings. The photos were taken by cameras mounted on automobiles, can be
viewed at different scales and from many angles, and are navigable by arrow icons
imposed on them.
Using the Street View on Google Earth, users have the opportunity to visit and explore
30 UNESCO world heritage sites with historical context and pins for each one. The sites
include, The Great Pyramid, The Taj Mahal, Sagrada Família, The Dolomites, The
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Great Sphinx, etc.[27]
In 2019, Walt Disney World partnered with Google to create Pixar Street View. A unique
activation that enabled viewers to search for hidden Pixar Easter eggs in Toy Story
Land at Disney's Hollywood Studios through street view. This creative collaboration
elevated Pixar's iconic tradition of hiding Easter eggs in films and introduced it to an
immersive new platform. [28]
Water and ocean[edit]
Introduced in Google Earth 5.0 in 2009, the Google Ocean feature allows users to zoom
below the surface of the ocean and view the 3D bathymetry. Supporting over 20 content
layers, it contains information from leading scientists and oceanographers.[29] On April
14, 2009, Google added bathymetric data for the Great Lakes.[30][31]
In June 2011, Google increased the resolution of some deep ocean floor areas from 1-
kilometer grids to 100 meters.[32] The high-resolution features were developed by
oceanographers at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory from
scientific data collected on research cruises. The sharper focus is available for about 5
percent of the oceans. This can be seen in the Hudson off New York City, the Wini
Seamount near Hawaii, and the Mendocino Ridge off the U.S. Pacific coast.[33]

Outer space[edit]
A picture of Martian landscape

Google Earth in Sky Viewing Mode

One of the lunar landers viewed in Google Moon

Google has programs and features, including within Google Earth, allowing exploration
of Mars, the Moon, the view of the sky from Earth and outer space, including the
surfaces of various objects in the Solar System.
Google Sky[edit]
Google Sky is a feature that was introduced in Google Earth 4.2 on August 22, 2007, in
a browser-based application on March 13, 2008,[34] and to Android smartphones,
with augmented reality features. Google Sky allows users to view stars and other
celestial bodies.[35] It was produced by Google through a partnership with the Space
Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, the science operations center for
the Hubble Space Telescope. Dr. Alberto Conti and his co-developer Dr. Carol Christian
of STScI planned to add the public images from 2007,[36] as well as color images of all of
the archived data from Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys. Then-newly
released Hubble pictures were added to the Google Sky program as soon as they were
issued.
New features such as multi-wavelength data, positions of major satellites and
their orbits as well as educational resources are provided to the Google Earth
community and also through Christian and Conti's website for Sky.[37] Also visible on Sky
mode are constellations, stars, galaxies, and animations depicting the planets in their
orbits. A real-time Google Sky mashup of recent astronomical transients, using
the VOEvent protocol, is provided by the VOEventNet collaboration.[38] Other programs
similar to Google Sky include Microsoft WorldWide Telescope and Stellarium.
Google Mars[edit]
Google Mars is an application within Google Earth that is a version of the program for
imagery of the planet Mars. Google also operates a browser-based version, although
the maps are of a much higher resolution within Google Earth, and include 3D terrain,
as well as infrared imagery and elevation data. There are also some extremely high-
resolution images from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter's HiRISE camera that are of a
similar resolution to those of the cities on Earth. Finally, there are many high-resolution
panoramic images from various Mars landers, such as the Mars Exploration
Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, that can be viewed in a similar way to Google Street
View.
Mars also has a small application found near the face on Mars. It is called Meliza, a
robot character the user can speak with.[39]
Google Moon[edit]
Originally a browser application, Google Moon is a feature that allows exploration of the
Moon. Google brought the feature to Google Earth for the 40th anniversary of the Apollo
11 mission on July 20, 2009.[40] It was announced and demonstrated to a group of invited
guests by Google along with Buzz Aldrin at the Newseum in Washington,
D.C.[41][42] Google Moon includes several tours, including one for the Apollo missions,
incorporating maps, videos, and Street View-style panoramas, all provided by NASA.

Other features[edit]
Google Earth has numerous features that allow the user to learn about specific places.
These are called "layers", and include different forms of media, including photo and
video. Some layers include tours, which guide the user between specific places in a set
order. Layers are created using the Keyhole Markup Language, or KML, which users
can also use to create customized layers.[43] Locations can be marked with placemarks
and organized in folders; For example, a user can use placemarks to list interesting
landmarks around the globe, then provide a description with photos and videos, which
can be viewed by clicking on the placemarks while viewing the new layer in the
application.
In December 2006, Google Earth added a new integration
with Wikipedia and Panoramio. For the Wikipedia layer, entries are scraped for
coordinates via the Coord templates. There is also a community layer from the
project Wikipedia-World. More coordinates are used, different types are in the display,
and different languages are supported than the built-in Wikipedia layer.[44][45] The
Panoramio layer features pictures uploaded by Panoramio users, placed in Google
Earth based on user-provided location data. In addition to flat images, Google Earth
also includes a layer for user-submitted panoramic photos, navigable in a similar way to
Street View.
Google Earth includes multiple features that allow the user to monitor current events. In
2007, Google began offering users the ability to monitor traffic data provided by Google
Traffic in real-time, based on information crowdsourced from the GPS-identified
locations of cell phone users.[46]
Flight simulators[edit]

Downtown Toronto as seen from an F-16 Fighting Falcon during a simulated flight

In Google Earth 4.2, a flight simulator was added to the application. It was originally
a hidden feature when introduced in 2007, but starting with 4.3, it was given a labeled
option in the menu. In addition to keyboard control, the simulator can be controlled with
a mouse or joystick.[47][48] The simulator also runs with animation, allowing objects such
as planes to animate while on the simulator.[49]
Another flight simulator, GeoFS, was created under the name GEFS-Online using the
Google Earth Plug-in API to operate within a web browser. As of September 1, 2015,
the program now uses the open-source program CesiumJS, due to the Google Earth
Plug-in being discontinued.[50]
Liquid Galaxy[edit]
Main article: Liquid Galaxy

Liquid Galaxy is a cluster of computers running Google Earth creating an immersive

experience. On September 30, 2010, Google made the configuration and schematics
for their rigs public,[51] placing code and setup guides on the Liquid Galaxy wiki.[52] Liquid
Galaxy has also been used as a panoramic photo viewer using KRpano, as well as a
Google Street View viewer using Peruse-a-Rue[53] Peruse-a-Rue is a method for
synchronizing multiple Maps API clients.[54]

Versions[edit]
Google Earth has been released on macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The Linux version
began with the version 4 beta of Google Earth, as a native port using the Qt toolkit.
The Free Software Foundation consider the development of a free compatible client for
Google Earth to be a High Priority Free Software Project.[55] Google Earth was released
for Android on February 22, 2010,[56] and on iOS on October 27, 2008.[57][58] The mobile
versions of Google Earth can make use of multi-touch interfaces to move on the globe,
zoom or rotate the view, and allow to select the current location. An automotive version
of Google Earth was made available in the 2010 Audi A8.[59] On February 27, 2020,
Google opened up its web-based version of Earth to browsers like Firefox, Edge, and
Opera.[60][61]

Version history

Release
Version Changes
date

June 10,
1.0
2001

January
1.4
2002

February
1.6
2003

October
1.7.2
2003

2.2 August 2004

3.0 June 2005 • The first version was released after Google acquired Keyhole, Inc.

4.0 June 2006

4.1 May 2007

4.2 August 2007 • Google Sky was introduced

• A flight simulator was added

April 2008 • First release to implement KML version 2.2

4.3
• Google Street View was added

May 2009 • Google Ocean was introduced

5.0
• Historical Imagery was introduced
 Version history

Release
Version Changes
date

November
5.1 2009

5.2 July 2010 • Last version to support Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger (PPC & Intel) and 10.5 Leopard
(PPC)

6.0 March 2011 • 3D Trees were added

October
6.1 2011

6.2 April 2012 • Last version to support Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard (Intel)

December • Support for 3D Imagery data was introduced

7.0 2012 • Tour Guide was introduced

7.1 April 2013 • Last version to support Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion

• Google Earth Pro became the standard version of the desktop program. (A free
7.3 July 2017 license key was also publicly provided by Google for all the earlier Pro
versions.)[62]
• An entirely redesigned version of the program; Currently only available for
9.0 April 2017 Google Chrome and Android. The desktop application continues to be Google
Earth Pro, with infrequent updates.

Google Earth Pro[edit]

Google Earth running on Android

Google Earth Pro was originally the business-oriented upgrade to Google Earth, with
features such as a movie maker and data importer. Up until late January 2015, it was
available for $399/year, though Google decided to make it free to the public.[63][64] Google
Earth Pro is currently the standard version of the Google Earth desktop application as of
version 7.3.[65] The Pro version includes add-on software for movie making, advanced
printing, and precise measurements, and is currently available for Windows, Mac OS X
10.8 or later, and Linux.[66]
Google Earth Plus[edit]
Discontinued in December 2008, Google Earth Plus was a paid subscription upgrade to
Google Earth that provided customers with the following features, most of which have
become available in the free Google Earth.[67] One such feature was GPS integration,
which allowed users to read tracks and waypoints from a GPS device. A variety of third-
party applications have been created which provide this functionality using the basic
version of Google Earth by generating KML or KMZ files based on user-specified or
user-recorded waypoints.
Google Earth Enterprise[edit]
Google Earth Enterprise is designed for use by organizations whose businesses could
take advantage of the program's capabilities, for example by having a globe that holds
company data available for anyone in that company.[68] As of March 20, 2015, Google
has retired the Google Earth Enterprise product, with support ended on March 22,
2017.[69] Google Earth Enterprise allowed developers to create maps and 3D globes for
private use, and host them through the platform. GEE Fusion, GEE Server, and GEE
Portable Server source code was published on GitHub under the Apache2 license in
March 2017.[70]
Google Earth Studio[edit]
Google Earth Studio is a web-based version of Google Earth used for animations using
Google Earth's 3D imagery. As of June 2021, it is preview-only and requires signing up
to use it.[71] It features keyframe animation, presets called "Quick-Start Projects", and 3D
camera export.[72]
Google Earth 9[edit]
Google Earth 9 is a version of Google Earth first released on April 18, 2017, having
been in development for two years.[73] The main feature of this version was the launching
of a new web version of Google Earth.[74] This version added the "Voyager" feature,
whereby users can view a portal page containing guided tours led by scientists and
documentarians.[75] The version also added an "I'm Feeling Lucky" button, represented
by a die, which takes the user to a random location on earth along with showing them a
"Knowledge Card" containing a short excerpt from the location's Wikipedia article.[75]
Google Earth Plug-in[edit]
The Google Earth API was a free beta service, allowing users to place a version of
Google Earth into web pages. The API enabled sophisticated 3D map applications to be
built.[76] At its unveiling at Google's 2008 I/O developer conference, the company
showcased potential applications such as a game where the player controlled a
milktruck atop a Google Earth surface.[77] The Google Earth API has been deprecated as
of December 15, 2014 and remained supported until December 15, 2015.[78] Google
Chrome ended support for the Netscape Plugin API (which the Google Earth API relies
on) by the end of 2016.[79]
Google Earth VR[edit]
On November 16, 2016, Google released a virtual reality version of Google Earth
for Valve's Steam computer gaming platform.[80][81] Google Earth VR allows users to
navigate using VR controllers, and is currently compatible with the Oculus Rift and HTC
Vive virtual reality headsets. On September 14, 2017, as part of Google Earth VR's 1.4
update, Google added Street View support.[82]

Google Earth Outreach[edit]

Google Earth Outreach is a charity program, through which Google promotes and
donates to various non-profit organizations. Beginning in 2007, donations are often
accompanied by layers featured in Google Earth, allowing users to view a non-profit's
projects and goals by navigating to certain related locations.[83] Google Earth Outreach
offers online training on using Google Earth and Google Maps for public education on
issues affecting local regions or the entire globe. In June 2008, training was given to 20
indigenous tribes in the Amazon rainforest, such as the Suruí, to help them preserve
their culture and raise awareness for the problem of deforestation.[84]
Non-profit organizations featured in Google Earth via the Outreach program
include Arkive, the Global Heritage Fund, WaterAid, and the World Wide Fund for
Nature.[85][86]

Google Earth Engine[edit]

The Forest Landscape Integrity Index, created in Google Earth Engine.

Google Earth Engine is a cloud computing platform for processing satellite

imagery and other geospatial and observation data. It provides access to a large
database of satellite imagery and the computational power needed to analyze those
images.[87] Google Earth Engine allows observation of dynamic changes in agriculture,
natural resources, and climate using geospatial data from the Landsat satellite program,
which passes over the same places on the Earth every sixteen days.[88][89] Google Earth
Engine has become a platform that makes Landsat and Sentinel-2 data easily
accessible to researchers in collaboration with the Google Cloud Storage.[88] Google
Earth Engine provides a data catalog along with computers for analysis; this allows
scientists to collaborate using data, algorithms, and visualizations.[90] The platform uses
Python and JavaScript application programming interfaces for making requests to the
servers.[91]
Google Earth Engine has been used multiple times as a tool for tracking deforestation.
Initial applications of the engine have included mapping the forests of Mexico,
identifying water in the Congo basin, and detecting deforestation in the Amazon
rainforest.[92] Using Google Earth Engine to track global forest loss or gain, the University
of Maryland reported an overall loss in global forest cover.[93] The Carnegie Institute for
Science's CLASlite system and Imazon’s Sisteme de Alerta de Deforesation (SAD) are
two institutions that partnered with Google in the development of Google Earth Engine.
Both organizations use the program to build maps of forests that measure
environmental disturbances.[94] Additionally, Google Earth Engine has been expanded to
further applications. These include: Tiger Habitat Monitoring,[95] Malaria Risk
Mapping,[96] Global Surface Water,[97] increases in vegetation around Mount
Everest,[98] and the annual Forest Landscape Integrity Index[99]

Controversy and criticism[edit]

Further information: List of satellite map images with missing or unclear data

The software has been criticized by a number of special interest groups, including
national officials, as being an invasion of privacy or posing a threat to national security.
The typical argument is that the software provides information about military or other
critical installations that could be used by terrorists. Google Earth has been blocked by
Google in Iran[100] and Sudan[101] since 2007, due to United States government export
restrictions. The program has also been blocked in Morocco since 2006 by Maroc
Telecom, a major service provider in the country.[102]

Blurred out image of the Royal Stables in The Hague, Netherlands. This has since been lifted.

In the academic realm, increasing attention has been devoted to both Google Earth and
its place in the development of digital globes. In particular, the International Journal of
Digital Earth features multiple articles evaluating and comparing the development of
Google Earth and its differences when compared to other professional, scientific, and
governmental platforms.[103] Google Earth's role in the expansion of "earth observing
media" has been examined to understand how it is shaping a shared cultural
consciousness regarding climate change and humanity's capacity to treat the earth as
an engineerable object.[104]
Defense[edit]
• In 2006, one user spotted a large topographical replica in a remote region of China. The
model is a small-scale (1/500) version of the Karakoram Mountain Range, which is under
the control of China but claimed by India. When later confirmed as a replica of this region,
spectators began entertaining military implications.[105][106]
• In July 2007, it was reported that a new Chinese Navy Jin-class nuclear ballistic
missile submarine was photographed at the Xiaopingdao Submarine Base south
of Dalian.[107]
• Hamas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades have reportedly used Google Earth to
plan Qassam rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza (See: Palestinian rocket attacks on
Israel.)[108][109]
• On February 13, 2019, 3D imagery was launched in four of Taiwan's cities: Taipei, New
Taipei, Taoyuan, and Taichung. This has caused concerns from Taiwanese officials, such
as Taiwan's Defense Minister Yen Teh-fa, saying that the 3D imagery exposed some of
its Patriot missile sites. Ten days later on February 23, Google confirmed that it would be
removing all of its 3D imagery from Taiwan.[110][111][112]
National security[edit]
• Former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam expressed concern over the availability of
high-resolution pictures of sensitive locations in India.[113] Google subsequently agreed to
censor such sites.[114]
• The Indian Space Research Organisation said Google Earth poses a security threat to India
and seeks dialogue with Google officials.[115]
• The South Korean government expressed concern that the software offers images of
the presidential palace and various military installations that could possibly be used by its
hostile neighbor North Korea.[116]
• In 2006, Google Earth began offering detailed images of classified areas in Israel. The
images showed Israel Defense Forces bases, including secret Israeli Air Force facilities,
Israel's Arrow missile defense system, military headquarters and Defense Ministry
compound in Tel Aviv, a top-secret power station near Ashkelon, and the Negev Nuclear
Research Center. Also shown was the alleged headquarters of Mossad, Israel's foreign
intelligence service, whose location is highly classified.[117]
• As a result of pressure from the United States government, the residence of the Vice
President at Number One Observatory Circle was obscured through pixelization in Google
Earth and Google Maps in 2006, but this restriction has since been lifted. The usefulness of
this downgrade is questionable, as high-resolution photos and aerial surveys of the property
are readily available on the Internet elsewhere.[118] Capitol Hill also used to be pixelized in
this way. The Royal Stables in The Hague, Netherlands also used to be pixelized. This is
also true for airports in Greece.
• The lone surviving gunman involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks admitted to using Google
Earth to familiarise himself with the locations of buildings used in the attacks.[119]
• Michael Finton, aka Talib Islam, used Google Earth in planning his attempted September
24, 2009, bombing of the Paul Findley Federal Building and the adjacent offices of
Congressman Aaron Schock in Springfield, Illinois.[120]
Other concerns[edit]
• Operators of the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
asked Google to censor high-resolution pictures of the facility.[121] They later withdrew the
request.[122]
• In 2009, Google superimposed old woodblock prints of maps from 18th- and 19th-century
Japan over Japan today. These maps marked areas inhabited by the burakumin caste, who
were considered "non-humans" for their "dirty" occupations, including leather
tanning and butchery. Descendants of members of the burakumin caste still face
discrimination today and many Japanese people feared that some would use these areas,
labeled etamura (穢多村, translation: "village of an abundance of defilement""), to target
current inhabitants of them. These maps are still visible on Google Earth, but with the label
removed where necessary.[123]
• Late 2000s versions of Google Earth require a software component running in the
background that will automatically download and install updates. Several users expressed
concerns that there is not an easy way to disable this updater, as it runs without the
permission of the user.[124]

See also[edit]
• Space flight simulation game
o List of space flight simulation games
• Planetarium software
• List of observatory software
• Orthophotomap, the type of aerial and satellite imagery present in Google Earth
• Virtual globe, the category of software that includes Google Earth
• Web mapping

References[edit]
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2. ^ Jump up to:a b "Google Earth". Google. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
3. ^ "Google Earth". earth.google.com. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
4. ^ "Google Earth APKs". APKMirror. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
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