This article was published on August 7, 2008

Google plants forests in Holland: amateurish censorship in Maps


Google plants forests in Holland: amateurish censorship in Maps

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.

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