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Google and International Borders

Started by Recusant, March 23, 2016, 11:43:01 PM

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Recusant

An example of how the online world and the real world intersect and affect each other. Also of how a powerful corporation inevitably insinuates itself into international politics.

"Google Maps Moves the World's Borders Depending on Who's Looking" | Popular Science

QuoteDoes Google Maps reflect national borders, or does it create them? What are the political and legal ramifications when a country disagrees with the map? That's what a new paper called Google's World, in the Columbia Journal of Transnational Law, examines.

Author Ethan R. Merel points out that "if a border is disputed by two or more states, the border as seen on Google's services will adhere to the beliefs of Country A when accessed from within that country, while simultaneously adhering to the beliefs of Country B when accessed on its local servers."

Merel discusses how this policy--displaying different versions of the map to different users--could be the basis for conflict:

QuoteWhile Google's cartographic platforms, Google Maps and Google Earth, are the most widely used mapping services in the world, their methodology for affixing borders and naming key features is completely unregulated and deviates from traditional mapping doctrine. Google customizes its maps to adhere to each individual country's beliefs and laws, so that its maps do not show a single and objective reality, but rather affirm existing perspectives of the world.

[Continues . . .]
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Icarus

That is referred to in middle class America as CYOAF. (cover your own ass first).  Google is able to play the game with impunity.