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Vox Populi: PIL vs Google Earth Fans
Techtree News Staff, Dec 11, 2008 1558 hrs ISTTechtree readers react to proposed website ban
A couple of days back, we reported that a Mumbai-based advocate has filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court seeking a "complete ban on Google Earth and similar sites like Wikimapia". The PIL states that the websites gave minute details and provided viewers with photographs and "extremely accurate navigational coordinates'' as well.
Now our readers have a lot to say about this.
We got a number of reactions and a series of questions our readers want to ask of the legal advocates who have demanded a ban on the US-based website, which provides detailed satellite images to a 50cm resolution of locations worldwide.
Sandeep from Chennai wants to know, when our own country is coming up with a Google Earth competitor, is it really logical to ban the website.
As reported, come March 2009, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) will launch its own IRS (Indian Remote Sensing) image portal called Bhuvan. The portal will offer detailed satellite views of our planet to users - akin to those seen on Google Earth and Wikimapia, but with a difference; this one will give sharper and more detailed pictures than provided by Google.
Google Earth can be accessed from around the world and not just our country, says our reader Sunil Suresh from Mangalore. Since it is a fact that the terrorists are tech-savvy, we should be expecting them to find an alternative even if we completely ban Google Earth here in India.
Another reader, Andy from Bangalore points out that there are agencies around the world that give you satellite imagery and other details on payment of a fee, so what's Google Earth? "The Government of India should wake up and make their defense structure proper, rather than point fingers at Google," suggests Samir from Mumbai. Rex from Bangalore claims that the only way to counter terrorism is via good intelligence operations. "You cannot block them once they are on the way to attack. Stop everything at the planning stage itself," he adds.
Back in September, while we had witnessed the nasty Delhi bomb blasts, there was a talk of the government monitoring your online activity through a legislation that would authorize officials to snoop on your activities online. Widely considered a knee-jerk reaction, the plan was opposed by people and corporate entities who felt government had no right to see what its citizens were up to.
After the recent terror strikes in Mumbai, investigations have led to the fact that technology was widely used to plan, coordinate and execute the attacks. The terrorists used equipments ranging from ultra-modern arms to satellite phones.
It was reported that terrorists used UK-based Call Phoenix's Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service during the three day terror siege in Mumbai. It was also said that the terrorists who targeted the plush locations in south Mumbai were carrying multiple mobile phones, SIM cards, web browsers, satellite phones and many other high-tech gizmos.
Our readers thus demand why should India pick up only Google Earth when it comes to banning?
Keeping in mind the security concerns behind the use of Google Earth, our view remains that it would be wise to blur certain sensitive Indian areas on the website. However, completely banning the website would not help this situation. We, at Techtree, believe that our intelligence and security personnel should try to stay a step ahead of these terrorists to stop them in their tracks.
What do you think guys? Posts your votes on our poll and let us know your verdict.
Related Links:
Google Earth Poses Threat To India
ISRO'S Bhuvan To Better Google Earth
Google Earth is a Cause for Concern
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