Lawmaker wants Google Maps to blur certain buildings

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.

Google Street View blurs faces.

(Credit: Google)

The company also began blurring peoples' faces in its Street View interface on Google Maps last year in response to privacy concerns.

(via Search Engine Land)

[arj8138]

Uhh wouldnt the attackers just be able to go there themselves anyway? I mean these institutions would still have their physical address online so using an online mapping service or even a GPS unit a terrorist could still find the place - making things like street view not at fault. Basically this dbag from cali is just afraid of technology instead of actually making things safer.

[Renegade Knight]

Don't worry. Next they will blurr addresses on houses, and require GPS devices to only take you to the "general vicinity" GPS blurring if you will.

[Xedous]

In addition to blurring images of buildings I believe that we should also remove the ability to even get directions to those building. I mean think about it, if we give them directions, the terrorists will not only know how to get to the building they will also be able to see the buildings for themselves, with their own eyes!!!

[Shankland]

In World War II, if memory serves, Britain messed with street signs to make it harder for the enemy to navigate the country.

[gggg sssss]

yoiur tax dollar is supporting this moron. Maybe we can get a propsition banning maron marriages in Ca.

[emeshuris1]

And what about microsoft maps? Is this guy going to go after MS as well? Hmm, it would be interesting to see MS and Google team up on this bs.

[tadbittipsy]

maybe we can blur stupid self-righteous politicians, too. That way when they speak out all you hear is the voice from Charlie Brown's teacher... Wah Wah Wahh Wahh..... they actually pay this guy??? I could do a better job at minimum wage and save the state some money.

[mattumanu]

I Don't think it's about self righteousness. At first glance, I thought this might be a good idea, then I saw the fines that could be levied. This is cash strapped California trying to drum up revenue, nothing more or less. $250,000 dollars PER DAY? I'll bet if the economy in California were better this wouldn't even be on table.

[wango2007]

So, the terrorist on the two way, says to the terrorist driving the van filled with explosives:

"Mohammad, drive into the second blur on the left and detonate!"

Would it have helped if the World Trade Center was blurred?

I think Joel Anderson is an idiot. California is dying because of legislators like him who have too much time on their hands.

[Lerianis3]

I have to agree. This guy is an idiot and California is dying because of idiots like him who apparently don't have anything better to do with their time, like fixing the damn home mortgage problems in California (where nearly 75% of the defaults on home loans are coming from together with Florida).

[proscriptus]

I prefer to think of him as an "asshat."

[solitare_pax]

So if they catch a terrorist with a car bomb, using a Triple-A road map and a guide to scenic California, will they demand all Atlases, road maps and street signs be prohibited lest they provide aid and comfort to the alleged enemy?

[RustyPockets]

Really now? How is blurring going to help this? Wouldn't it just make it EASIER for terrorists to spot targets of opportunity, hence: "Look for the blurry spots on the map,those are great places to hit!"

I'm pretty sure that terrorists aren't blithering idiots, they have more sophisticated methods of scouting out targets than google maps. Hell, all that's needed is a "civilian" to drive around a proposed target, take pictures etc...

This isn't helping anyone. What's needed is better security, more awareness, etc. Americans don't know any better than to leave an unattended briefcase left alone, unlike other places where such is n instant red-flag for a terrorist attack, It's simply too easy to leave a briefcase bomb in some easily accessed public area like a school, subway, mall, train yard, park, etc... and no one knows any better than to shrug and walk away. We need campaigns that inform citizens of what to look for, and just what is suspicious and should be brought to attention.

[Lerianis3]

We don't even need all of those things. We just have to realize that we are NEVER going to be totally safe in real life and just deal with it. If the public didn't react to a bombing like the WTC bombing, there would be no reason for these terrorist organizations to do these things anymore. No reaction from the public= no reason for suicide bombings or terrorist bombings.

Anyway, the real solution to this whole problems is to just get rid of religion, and I mean ALL of them. That is the long-term answer to this whole problem: get rid of religion so that stupid bastards cannot be brainwashed into thinking that there is some 'heaven' after death that they will get into if they martyr themselves.

[Dylan_Wisor]

He says that terrorists use Google Maps to find targets, yes?
He wants to blur certain targets such as hospitals and churches, yes?
Despite this, he says people can still get directions to these places, yes?
So in effect, all you're doing is highlighting the targets, saving Achmed the trouble of typing "school" into the search box?

Protip: Terrorists aren't thirteen years old (yet). They're a little better at the whole spying thing.

[AlternateRoute]

@Dylan. Not necessarily Achmed. Terrorist acts are also carried out by people called Timothy, Terry, Michael and Theodore.....

[AlternateRoute]

The power of the satellites and GPS technology used by Google is a by-product of US military technology developed to enable them to kill people more accurately and efficiently, now the government is getting upset becuase someone else might use it for the same purpose.

[sandor_f]

amen.

[billmosby]

Maps don't kill people, people kill people.

Be that as it may, I guess after the news today about the multiple shootings in Alabama, Google needs to blur whole towns. Forget buildings!

[datamuncher]

YUP,

Sounds like we need to shut down AAA's map division as well - Schools, churches, government buildings are all clearly marked. And let's not forget mall maps, Disneyland maps, etc.

[buzzmorley]

I heard they used a phone and automobile while planning the attack too...

[aMUSICsite]

The next law will be you have to close your eyes as you walk past!

[kudzul33t]

Boo AB-255. Stop using terrorism as a crowbar to pass censorship or other mechanisms of control.

How about we restrict the functionality of other products that can be used for terrorist planning.

Microsoft Word, Outlook, Excel - Restrict the functionality of these useful tools to prevent terrorist from book keeping and communicating

Autocad - We can't have terrorist designing weapons

Photoshop - Terrorist might use this to dummy up some fake photos

Rosetta Stone - We don't want the terrorist to know our languages and blend in better

Nero - We don't want terrorist burning/selling DVD movies to fund their operations

This control can be applied to anything........

Google is awesome

[arj8138]

"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."

Where in the hell on google maps can you see an air duct or elevator shaft? Also by blurring those parts it draws attention to them!

[Len Bullard]

As mentioned to Charles Cooper, companies sell products using Google maps and some of those are public safety and health vendors. If those blurred images are included into the paid services, they impede emergency and homeland security operations.

Someone find out if the California assemblyman understands this or if Google has a plan to have one set of maps for paid service use and another for public use.

[dumbspammers]

I have seen three different proposals to handle idiot politicians like this:
1. (credit to Terry Pratchett): Imprison politicians as soon as they are elected, thus saving the expense of a trial. You *know* they're guilty, or they wouldn't be running for office!
2. Place a two-term limit on all politicians: One term in office and one in prison. Their income from the first term can help offset the cost of the second term.
3. Lock an explosives-filled radio-controlled collar around the politician's neck while he's being sworn in. If at any time 66% of his constituency presses the "recall" button on their pocket transmitters, he is removed from office with great finality.

[jtg1453]

I suspect we're not reading the whole story here. Military installations as a rule restrict access, including information regarding the layout of bases, the purposes of buildings, etc. Most of them aren't very easy to navigate, and oftentimes that is intentional. Some information just needs protected. I'm willing to give this assemblyman the benefit of the doubt, although I'd admit blurring pictures of churches, schools, and hospitals is counter-productive.

Further, I don't see how this is a First Amendment issue, which protects political speech. This doesn't sound like it is designed to crush dissent, but protect the organs and institutions of state government from exploitation. I'd rather someone determined to reconnoiter a place for attack do the legwork, possibly exposing himself and his organization to law enforcement personnel.

Really, I'm shocked that no one seems to be concerned about what is arguably another erosion of privacy.

[Chuck G.]

I was sooo worried! But no more - the party that wants to keep the government out of our business is riding to the rescue again!