Google rules. I must spend at least several hours a day with Teh Google — it does everything, right? From search to maps to email to… But, according to this story, it doesn’t always do everything quite right.
“Google has updated the imagery of the New Orleans and Gulf Coast areas on its Google Earth and Google Maps services, so that it now shows the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina. The company has also denied that it attempted to “rewrite” history.”
I love the idea — I assume Google would also use pre-9/11 imagery of lower Manhattan as well, complete with trade centers? It’s like virtual botox: a little dab here, a little dab there, and before you know it, this ol’ messy planet of ours will look pretty as a peach.
I actually happen to believe that Google’s excuse is correct: they had higher resolution data available which just happened to be pre-Katrina — the question then becomes: what’s the point of higher resolution imagery if the subject matter has changed completely?
But, gee, Google, this really makes me want to trust you with more of my personal data:
(“Sir, with regards to your email of June 4th, we took the liberty of changing some of the wording. We also replaced some of the more offensive language, and corrected the reference to your wife’s aunt; her last name is spelled with an ‘h’.” — Your friends at Google, Inc.)
(Ridiculous piggy image from here.)