Several media outlets around the world, including UOL in Brazil, reported that Google had “published” highresolution images of Russia’s key military infrastructure on its Google Maps service, including airbases, allegedly removing an image blur effect. However, the tech giant denied making any changes to its software.
For some sensitive regions of the world, Google is really blurring their maps. For example, Google Maps pixelates images of French Air Force Base 705 and completely blurs the city of Jerusalem. However, there are many other military installations that are on public view, such as: Nellis Air Force Base in the US and even the infamous Area 51.
However, Google would not have removed any filters for the Russian pages cited in Monday’s articles. According to American magazine Newsweek, Russia’s state agency TASS and other news outlets around the world, Google has denied changing anything in its mapping service to start publishing Russia’s military and strategic locations.
“We have not made any changes to the blurring of our satellite imagery in Russia,” said Genevieve Park, a spokeswoman for Google, after a request for comment from international media.
how the rumor started
It all started after a Twitter account attributed to the Armed Forces of Ukraine posted a series of images and text saying Google had removed a filter that blurred images of Russian military installations as if in retaliation would act technological giant for the invasion of Ukraine.
Information quickly spread through various media that highresolution images of Russia’s key military infrastructure would be available, including the cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov, a nuclear ammunition depot, a test airfield with the latest fighter jets, the Su57, an ICBM launch site and a air force base.
See the original tweet below:
GOOGLE MAPS ВІДКРИВ ДОСТУП ДО ВІЙСЬКОВИХ ТА СТРАТЕГІЧНИХ ОБ’ЄКТІВ РОСІЇ.
Тепер кожен може побачити різноманітні російські пускові установки, шахти міжконтинентальних балістичних ракет, командні пункти та секретні полігони з роздільною здатністю близько до 0.5 метра на піксель. pic.twitter.com/i75wR8Efwo— Armed Forces 🇺🇦 (@ArmedForcesUkr) April 18, 2022
In fact, there may be pixelated or blurry areas, but Google claims that this has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine, but with sensitive and defense issues of the countries. Although the tech giant had curtailed its operations in Russia due to the war, it was categorical that nothing had changed in its mapping application.
Some actions Google has taken and publicly announced since the start of the war against Russia were: stopping the sale of ads in the country, blocking access to Google Pay for some Russian users under the sanctions, and banning Russian media accounts from Display ads on their YouTube channels. For its part, the Russian government has threatened to fine the company for saying YouTube has videos of “disinformation” about its hack.
In any case, Google Maps imagery would add little to the country’s intelligence scenario, knowing that the United States, China and other major powers already have satellites monitoring virtually the entire world.
In war, fake news is the easiest trap for journalism. Even those vehicles with a history of fact checking do not remain unscathed.
Excerpt from the UOL article saying Google removed the “borage”.