Google plants forests in Holland: amateurish censorship in Maps
Written on 7th August 2008
4 COMMENTS 
Ernst-Jan Pfauth, editor in chief
The controversial Dutch blog GeenStijl (translation: no style, wiki here) received an anonymous tip today saying Google censors certain parts of their Maps. We’re not talking about the regular “Google Blur” that hides military bases and government buildings, but a different – more evil so you want – kind of censorship. The thing is, the Mountain View-based company plants forests in Holland. Some Google employee has replicated a small part of forest to hide a certain object on the terrain of Castle Engelenburg near Eerbeek, Gelderland.
And there also is a second bush, left from the water, that also doesn’t exist. Livemaps, the mapping service by Microsoft, also shows a forest, but this one looks “better”.
According to GeenStijl, neighbors say there was “something weird” going on with European subsidies and nature areas. Anyhow, Google Maps secretly censors its satellite photos, that’s for sure.
The Next Web Blog is closely associated with The Next Web Conference which is held annually in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. At this event speakers from all over the world come together to talk about, and show off, the future of the Web. (More info 
By G on Aug 7, 2008
no secrets here…
and no: elvis doesn’t live here…
that spot is on the border of two pictures…
Reply
By Tim Molendijk on Aug 9, 2008
The fact that both Google Maps and Live Maps show the same forest while not using the same photos should have made you a bit suspicious, don’t you agree?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2.....741919972/
Reply
By Edo van Royen on Aug 10, 2008
Might be, but if it was on the border of two pictures, why is the bush across from the lake also photoshopped ? Seems to me it’s too close to be another border.
Reply
By adam on Aug 14, 2008
isnt it just where a few images have joined together? i cant see google or microsoft spending the time to track down satellite images and edit them in photoshop …….
Reply