Due to ongoing concerns in the middle of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Google has shut off its Maps live traffic features to keep Ukrainian citizens safe. Google's Maps data can be utilized in a ton of different nefarious ways by Russia and other actors.
These live service features are used to form a baseline for road traffic concerns and impending delays via anonymous location tracking on Android phones. Outside sources can leverage the data to follow the Russian invasion in Ukraine as it proceeds.
According to Reuters, Google took these steps in order to keep Ukrainian citizens safe following consultations with local authorities. Various tech companies are pulling their weight in support of Ukraine as Russia continues its so-called "special operation" within the area.
To be clear, live traffic information will remain available to those needing it within the country, Google relays. This will allow Ukrainian citizens still to use such tools as turn-by-turn navigation in their travels. The live service features embedded in Google Maps data have been disabled from global access, ensuring Ukraine remains secure in its time of conflict.
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There is no available data on whether Google has done something like this in the past amid any other ongoing wars of this nature. The outpouring of support can be felt across the industry, made manifest in social media outlets that utilize specific tools to aid the country in any way possible.
Professor Jerry Lewis, an Open-source intelligence (OSINT) expert at Middlebury Institute, explains to Motherboard: "I think big data companies often don't want to face squarely how useful their data can be. I mean, it's cool when we do it, right? It's maybe less cool if the Russians were able to do something similar to, you know, spotting an offensive from Ukranians."
As previously mentioned, online map data can be leveraged for a variety of different needs, not merely traffic backups and road closures. In 2017, as one example, a new fitness application called Strava unintentionally revealed where various US military bases were on the map as US soldiers were running laps in those specific areas.
Like Twitter and Instagram, social media platforms have also been largely helpful in these conflicting times. Snapchat was a vital tool amid the Iraqi war, as users were utilizing the geolocation tools on photos and videos taken on the frontline to bolster information and technique in approaching the conflict.
While the Google Maps live service features certainly is a helpful tool, it isn't alone the best piece of information. OSINT investigators and frontline journalists will often leverage the intel gathered from these specific places in combination with other forms of information gathering, allowing for a more holistic picture of the ongoing event, in this case, Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Google gave no word on when or if said Maps data would ever be brought back online, though it's clear the company has the best interests of the Ukrainian people in mind with their decision.
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