Recently it was found that google maps alter the view of the map based on where it’s being viewed from. In India, when the map of Kashmir is viewed, it is shown as a part of the country but, when viewed from Pakistan, it is shown as a part of Pakistani territory! Viewing the map of Kashmir from neither of these countries shows Kashmir as a disputed land.
This is not the first time Google Maps has altered Maps based on the viewer’s location. In 2009 it was found that Google maps showed Arunachal Pradesh when viewed from India as a part of India but when viewed from china, it was shown as Chinese territory.
The reason behind all these alterations is Google’s policy to stay out of a dispute. A company spokesperson said: “Google has a consistent and global policy to depict disputed regions and features fairly, showing claims made by the disputed or claiming nations on its global domain. And in all fairness, it’s a safe move from google in order to stay out of already mangled disputes between countries. Google, however, does not slack on getting information regarding these boundaries. Google has sources and correspondents that help Google’s database in regards to countries and their boundaries be up to date in order to eliminate misinformation.”
Google maps are probably one of the most used google apps after the search engine. It has revolutionized the way we commute. Using GPS and other geo-locating technologies(GLONASS etc.) it is able to pinpoint locations almost anywhere in the world and with this, it can guide us from point A to point B via the fastest route.
Google Map has transcended from being just a navigation app. Today thanks to satellite imaging, you can see any part of the world in real-time! But this also poses a problem. Since time immemorial, humans have had a tendency of occupying land and calling it their own.