GoogleGoogle Maps faces CBI investigation for mapping sensitive locations in India

Google Maps faces CBI investigation for mapping sensitive locations in India

In an unlikely string of developments, Google Maps has found itself in the middle of a CBI investigation that has resulted due to a Mapathon it had conducted in India last year. Its fault is apparently that it violated certain laws by mapping sensitive areas and defense installations.

A preliminary enquiry has been set up against the Mountain View-based company, with the CBI having registered a complaint filed by the Surveyor General of India. This complaint was first presented by the body to the Union Home Ministry of the country, and it accuses Google Maps of having participated in activities of mapping several areas not included in the maps of the country, according to The Times of India.

Google Maps

India’s official mapping agency, Survey of India needs to be taken the permission of prior to organizing events such as the Mapathon which was held by Google in February and March last year. This gathering asked citizens to provide better location information about their neighborhoods with a special focus on hospitals and restaurant.

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Google Maps has been dictated by the Survey of India for details regarding the above mentioned event. This is when they found that there were several coordinates in them having details of sensitive defense installations which are out of the public domain.

As quoted in the National Map Policy 2005, the responsibility for ‘producing, maintaining and disseminating the topographic map database’ of the entire country rests only with Survey of India. Google has responded to these allegations and has acknowledged them but has refused to share any further details on the matter.

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