Google has been accused of “airbrushing history” as it has replaced satellite images of the New Orleans area, showing the hurricane devastation, with pre-Katrina images.
In fact, it’s generated so much attention that Congress has taken an interest in the issue.
Citing an Associated Press report from Thursday, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s subcommittee on investigations and oversight asked Google Inc. Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt to explain why his company is using the outdated imagery.
“Google’s use of old imagery appears to be doing the victims of Hurricane Katrina a great injustice by airbrushing history,” subcommittee chairman Brad Miller, D-N.C., wrote Friday in a letter to Schmidt. Source: Breitbart.com
It certainly is a questionable decision, though I wonder how much of Congress’ outrage is posturing. However, Google’s reason for making the change just boggles the mind.
John Hanke, Google’s director for maps and satellite imagery, said “a combination of factors including imagery date, resolution, and clarity” go into deciding what imagery to provide.
“The latest update from one of our information providers substantially improved the imagery detail of the New Orleans area,” Hanke said in a news release about the switch.
So, better imagery detail, but out-of-date images? Showing the pristine images pre-hurricane vs. post-hurrincane imagery? A weird choice, if you ask me.
