The recent update to the Google Earth database puts back the US Capitol Building
and the White House which were blurred out in the earlier database. This is apparently in response to the complaints from some worried about how Google Earth photos could be abused by terrorists (despite the fact that all of these photos are readily available from many other sources). I guess Google Earth has taken the position they shouldn’t censor anything if the data is readily available.
About Frank Taylor
Frank Taylor started the Google Earth Blog in July, 2005 shortly after Google Earth was first released. He has worked with 3D computer graphics and VR for many years and was very impressed with this exciting product. Frank completed a 5.5 year circumnavigation of the earth by sailboat in June 2015 which you can read about at Tahina Expedition, and is a licensed pilot, backpacker, diver, and photographer.
I, for one, would love to know more about how the database is managed. I’ve spent a lot of time in Iceland and so wanted to track down some old haunts there in Reykjavik and elsewhere. I was surprised to find Reykjavik at very low resolution, whereas the tiny fishing village of Akranes, just across the harbor, is in sharp detail. Seems strange, and haphazard. I think anyone using Google Earth for the first time will be anxious for Google to get high resolution views more and more widespread.
Yes, there are a large number of such requests to improve the database at the Google Earth/Keyhole Forums
(http://bbs.keyhole.com/
Conspiracy theories abound as to the reason why the US Naval Observatory (where the Vice President resides) is still pixilated. 🙂
Gee, does that really require a conspiracy theory? 🙂
Can someone “pixilate” my mother in law’s house ?