Google Earth is a very excellent tool which is very much available for common man to find out the earthy locations.
ADVANTAGES:
1. One can know the actual locations on the earth.
2. Can locate hotels, restaurants, buildings, roads and areas.
3. Can find out the distances and the approaching roads.

But as for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, this wonderful tool has been misused by many of the social evils. But to the knowledge I have, all the present locations and deeds going on is not being accessed/available for the common man. These tools are available for Government use and only for some important journalists. But I do not think that this would be very much useful for them.

Google earth no doubt is a wonderful software that is helpful to locate addresses and locations within no time. Also it has negated the use of cumbersome and diffcult-to-read maps. In this regards, it definitely gets a thumbs-up!!

In the recent times ie, in 2006, much concern has been caused over the sighting of a large topographical replica in a remote region of China. This model is a small-scale (1/500) version of the Karakoram Mountain Ranges, currently under the control of China but claimed by India. This was later confirmed as a replica of the Karakoram ranges, gibving rise to serious military implications. The Karakoram ranges is of extremically strategic importance from the defence point of view. Google eath has played a beneficial role here since now the Indian govt knows that the Chinese could be planning some sort of maneuvers in these ranges, hence keeping us alerted!

But like all the invention created to help, this feature too is being misused by organizations who are out to destruct!! Like it happened in the case of Mumbai 26/11/08 attacks, Ajmal Kasab has admitted to using Google Earth to familiarise themselves with the locations of buildings used in the attacks.

The crucial factor here is not to completely do away with Google earth but to restrict access in some way and to downplay or remove the images of strategic military and research installations.

Why aren't there any takers on this discussion????

Come on guys, we need to have more discussions here!!! :huh: :dry: :blink: :S :blink: :huh: :unsure:

Let me start my contribution to this GD with this post,

well really i saw this topic on some forums, and posted as suggestion finally karthick taken as this week's discussion.

It is actually a good Gd topic but i think those who have technicaly strong would able to participate, unless they are not aware of this , it would be difficult.

My point is

No google earth can't be using for detecting terrorists.terrorists now a days are far smart than that
americans have used more sophisticated technology in afghanistan.still they are gettin kicked may be used for spying.but terrorists camps are too difficult to recognise.they also get the information somehow 'somebody is watching them'

and anyways some nations millitaries are havin far better satelite images compared to Google earth..millitaries highly use these kind of things.

And army does not use google earth , they need real time data.terrorists can change their hide outs any time.so depending on pictures is not worthy for army, but army cann't shift its installations,terrorists have a plus over here i guess.

@Sajeetharan, what are you are saying is probably true but its not complete truth!!

The American Army is as hig-tech as any army can get!! The reason the Talibanis and other terrorists are so high-tech is due to the fact that it was the Americans who taught created and taught the Talibanis to use them against Afghanistan! The main reason that US forces are unsuccessful in the Afghanistan is because the terrorists and Talibanis have full support of the Pakistani Army. The Pakistani Army while pledging to fight terrorism is funding and supporting the terrorrists in the background to gain an upper hand against India! It is NOT the failing of Google earth! Google earth will display locations correctly but because of support and inside information fronm the PA, they are able to quickly move and thus elude the Army!

The discussion seems to have stopped here completely!!!

All everyone is now interested in is the various games!! We need to understand that in order to get traffic, more so international traffic, we need to have some serious discussions with internatiuon imapct and relevance!!!

Come on people, wake up!!! Abid, why are you silent this time???

:( :( :( :dry: :S :blink: :huh: :unsure:

A very advantageous use an application such as Google maps is that EPA ie, Environment Protection Agency is using the Google Earth to access data related to the enormous Deepwater Horizon oil spill!!

While it is not the solution to stop the oil well from gushing into the Gulf, but its a way to keep up with the efoorts to at least stop it and restore the Gulf Coast!!

TO Begin with ,
"Every coin has two side" so do Google earth,

My friend Kalyani as pointed out the positive side of it,by stating example of China...but i want to remind that this is negative side from China point of view,as their all strategies are reveal due to this google earth.


Ex-President APJ Abdul Kalam's had already express concern over the security of a country due to this Google earth.Even Indian ISRO had the same concern.

The Thing is Google earth is available to public domain make it a great thread to the all country...

Terrorist could see the Military Establishment and can plan eventually to destroy it....it has happen when Hamas and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades have reportedly used Google Earth to plan Qassam rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza.

Some country had even Banned Google earth due to security reason

But Google has less brighter side than darker.

Brighter side is that country can kept watch over is neighbour.
But darker side is that terrorist can used this to demolish military Establishment,and terrorist hide in a mangrovesand thick forest.... so statellites will not be able to take snap and they changes their position every week...and google maps are doane months before..so no used to military.

According to me, Google should give permission to top government military officer only to used this application..

@Both kalyani and vijay

the topic is about whether google earth is used to locate terrorists and not whether is has been used by terrorists.

and friend vijay, You are describing about defects of using google earth, according to the topic it must be an advantage,

let me start my discussion

google earth can also be termed as a satellite software. it has even beaten the concept of going around the world in $80, coz with this software it's across the globe in just one click.
and to avail this software, again all you need is just one click.

As Vijay,kalyani and deepti said it has both advantages and disadvantages,
The terrorists use such easily accessible, updated maps to plan their entry route, escape routes, etc etc. Why, even farmers in the US us Google Earth for their reporting and planning.

terrorism existed before google earth was invented but now they are using or may use the latest technology including google earth to plan more precise and bloody attacks...

it's not just Google Earth though. the kind of technology that people have in their hands now is incredible and there's much to room for misuse... a phone with a gps running google earth / nokia maps can mark you very accurately on a map. a camera with a gps locator adding your location to the photo when you're taking one can also be misused.

lets talk relevant to the topic,

Google earth can be used to track terrorists location by using their numbers.It can be called hacking but if someone installs google map onto his phone(symbian or windows mobile) And log in using his google id from phone via gprs then we can know his location gmap tracks the network tower of the owner and shows the location even if he dont have gps in his phone.

i think this application called google latitude is for 3g cell phone or multimedia but if suppose a user has nokia 1100 can this software trace i don't think so because this is working over wi fi connectivity(GPRS like thing)now one more query how does a cell phone with mobile tracking technology works gives us the better idea over tracking thing.

Remember the last unfortunate incident that happened In mumbai, i read that the India police worked with a telecoms company to track the phone device of a hidden suspect who was later apprehended through that means. [So almost definitely they have employed a type of tracking software integrated into a visual digital map, perhaps like maybe it cant reach out to ordinary individual but somehow they executed that feat as a governmental body]

How effective is Blackberry handsets in India?
The Verilocation software is obviously Global, but we all know its because of red tapes and political / espionage reasons which creates the draw back.

Nevertheless, since google is international company there must be a way to utilize Google earth with software which are also international like, WORLDTRACKER..i know it caused uproar in the UK few years back, as spouses where tracking each other even into Europe and America because there was no legal net to stop the tracking. Perhaps it might work with google earth now without boundaries.

@vjay

why you are posting the same content again and again . please dont flood in forums