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Google hi-tech tools have gone awry |
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A question has been raised about whether google should be made responsible for misuse of its tools.
Reports indicate that Iraqi insurgents are allegedly using images from google Earth to “pinpoint mortar and rocket attacks against most vulnerable targets inside military bases.
Excerpts of a report taken from Telegraph.co.uk states that:
"Documents seized during raids on the homes of insurgents last week uncovered print-outs from photographs taken from google. The satellite photographs show in detail the buildings inside the bases and vulnerable areas such as tented accommodation, lavatory blocks and where lightly armored Land Rovers are parked.
"Written on the back of one set of photographs taken of the Shatt al Arab Hotel, headquarters for the 1,000 men of the Staffordshire Regiment battle group, officers found the camp's precise longitude and latitude.
"'This is evidence as far as we are concerned for planning terrorist attacks,' said an intelligence officer with the Royal Green Jackets battle group. Who would otherwise have google Earth imagery of one of our bases? We are concerned that they use them to plan attacks. We have never had proof that they have deliberately targeted any area of the camp using these images but presumably they are of great use to them.'"
According to google’s spokesperson, the company acknowledges that google Earth can used for “good and bad” and it is keeping an open mind about the situation.
“We have opened channels with the military in Iraq but we are not prepared to discuss what we have discussed with them,” said the spokesperson. “But we do listen and we are sensitive to request.”
Observers believe that “google has long operated under a philosophy that holds the company responsible for freeing up as much of the world’s information as possible” and such need not be changed, except that it should institute steps to ensure that its hi-tech tools will be used largely to “do good” rather than “bad.”
Ma. Roma C. Agsalud
SEO Company
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