Google Earth
ETHC303
Presented By:
Saeed Al-Awbathani 120070060
Shadi Bafadel 120070083
Majd Aldeen Haji 120070241
Prepared For:
Dr.Basit Qureshi
17 May 2011
1. Introduction
Google Earth is a virtual globe, map and geographical information program
that was originally called EarthViewer 3D, and was created by Keyhole, Inc, a
company acquired by Google in 2004. It maps the Earth by the superimposition of
images obtained from satellite imagery, aerial photography and GIS 3D globe. It
was available under three different licenses:
a. Google Earth, a free version with limited functionality
b. Google Earth Plus (discontinued), which included additional features
c. Google Earth Pro ($399 per year), which is intended for commercial use.
The product, re-released as Google Earth in 2005, is currently available for
use on personal computers that use different:
1. Windows 2000 and above
2. Mac OS X 10.3.9 and above
3. Linux kernel: 2.6 or later (released on June 12, 2006)
4. FreeBSD
Google Earth is also available as a browser plug-in which was released on
May 28, 2008. It was also made available for mobile viewers on the iPhone OS on
October 28, 2008, as a free download from the App Store, and is available to
Android users as a free app on the Android Market. In addition to releasing an
updated Keyhole based client, Google also added the imagery from the Earth
database to their web-based mapping software, Google Maps. The release of
Google Earth in June 2005 to the public caused a more than tenfold increase in
media coverage on virtual globes between 2004 and 2005, driving public interest in
geospatial technologies and applications.
2. How Google Earth work
The main obstacle to a convincing three-dimensional skydive is data
transfer. If one were to download over the Internet a one-meter resolution image of
the entire world it would take 69 years with a 10-megabit-per-second Internet
connection, and 12,400 years with a standard 56K modem. To slash the amount of
data they have to transmit across the Internet, Google Earth approximate the sphere
of the planet's surface with a polygon made up of flat tiles. The further away your
viewpoint is from the surface, the fewer tiles are needed to create the illusion of
roundness, and the lower the resolution of these tiles can be. As you zoom in, the
computer explodes each tile into smaller sub-tiles, each with higher resolution, and
re-forms the polygon into a ball. The process continues as you zoom. This means
that the virtual globe only has to download high-resolution data when the viewer is
actively zooming towards it. Virtual globes also use another trick to speed things
up further: a disk cache. Images for places you have already looked at are stored
locally on your hard drive, so when you fly over this area again the software does
not need to re-download the images, but instead quickly calls them up from your
hard disk.
Starting with an icosahedron (a), the triangular tiles are split into 4 smaller tiles (b), and re-mapped into a shape
approximating a sphere (c). The process is then repeated (d,e,f).
2.1 Features of Google Earth
A. Flight simulator
This feature or mode was included in the latest versions of Google Earth. It
uses two types of flights they are F-16 Fighting Falcon and the Cirrus SR-22. The
user can control them using the keyboard, mouse or joystick. This feature makes
the user fly around the world and he can also fly underwater at specific angle.
B. Sky Mode
It allows users to view stars and other celestial bodies. Google had a
partnership with Space Telescope Science Institute to produce this feature. The
visible things in this mode are constellations, stars, galaxies and animations
depicting the planets in their orbits.
C. Street View
It provides 360° panoramic street-level views and allows users to view parts
of selected cities and their surrounding metropolitan areas at ground level. It
Displays photos that were previously taken by a camera mounted on an automobile
that provide 3D technology.
D. Moon
This feature allows users to view satellite images of the Moon. It was
announced and demonstrated to a group of invited guests by Google along with
Buzz Aldrin at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.
3. Issues
Google Earth has introduced some privacy issues. Regarding the fact that
Google Earth created to help people see or know the world and many places in
their home. But, some issues have arisen because of this technology was misused.
Some of these issues are: crimes, privacy and theft.
A. Crimes
Although of the benefit the technology of Google Earth can provide,
criminals have used this technology to achieve their goals. Using Google Earth
they can keep track of where their target is and how to reach them. Also, it makes
it easier for them to prepare and study for their bad intentions.
B. Privacy
When people want to travel or visit a specific city, using Google Earth they
can walk through streets of some cities using this program in their home. They can
make plans easier with this technology’s help. But, the street view feature was
interrupting the people privacy by showing their real faces or where and what were
they doing.
C. Thefts
As this technology help the criminals to achieve their malicious intentions. It
also help the thieves to make their way easier by using the same methods the
criminal will use such as looking for their target and study to prepare for their plan
to do what they want by misusing this technology.
4. Case Studies
A. Google Earth used by thieves
Tom Berge is a guy who used a feature of Google Earth, to pinpoint
museums, churches and schools across south London with lead roof tiles. When he
found a potential target on his home computer he would scale its roof, take the
valuable roof materials and abseil down the side of the building, before selling the
lead to scrap metal dealers. Among the buildings he stole from in a six-month
spree were Honeywood Museum in Carshalton, Sutton High School for Girls and
Croydon Parish Church. A friend of Berge, from Sutton, south London, said: "He
sat at home at scoured south London for targets with just a few clicks of the mouse.
Berge was arrested in February and pleaded guilty to theft at Sutton magistrates’
court last week. He was sentenced to an eight-month suspended jail term, given
100 hours of community service and put on curfew.
Conclusion of the case
Google Earth has the capability to show satellite images from the roof of the
earth. This tool is used as a direction of real maps, or it can show some historical
buildings or places from the top of the earth. However, this tool has been misused
for so many people to do their bad intentions. Tom Berge didn’t use this tool in a
legal way that should be used in the first place. There is no guarantee that people
won’t do the same thing as Tom did for his bad intentions using that tool from
Google Earth. Regarding the benefit people can get from this tool, other people get
benefit from it in illegal perspective way.
B. British military discuss Google Earth use in attacks
According to the UK's Daily Telegraph, Google and military agencies is
discussing that terrorists have been using Google Earth to pinpoint strikes on
British bases in Basra. There are photos taken from Google Earth that show the
location of buildings, tents, latrines and lightly armored vehicles. On the back of
one set of photos, someone had written the precise longitude and latitude of the
Shatt Al Arab Hotel, where 1,000 Staffordshire Regiment soldiers are
headquartered. This is evidence for planning terrorist attacks. Intelligence officer
with the Royal Green Jackets battle group said "We believe they use Google Earth
to identify the most vulnerable areas, such as tents." A Google spokesman said the
satellite mapping information could be used for "good and bad" and can be
accessed via numerous means.
Conclusion of the case
Anything can be used for good or bad. In this sentence we can figure out
that Google Earth can be used in bad or good way. In this case, the terrorists used it
in bad way to eliminate the militaries by targeting them using their computers.
Regarding the fact that Google Earth is not created for this purpose or to use it in
that way. After all, it is people’s fault to misuse the technology not the technology
itself.
C. Google Earth as an aid to commit crime
Some says that Google Earth is a useful tool for prevention from
committing crimes. While on the other side, there are many who say that the maps
and satellite images are too detailed and intrusive, and will be used by criminals.
The opponents argue that on Google’s satellite images you can clearly see the
layout of a house and gardens, and vehicles parked outside; and that a house in the
country surrounded by large gardens is no longer secluded and hidden from view.
Another fear relates to Google’s Street View which can give you a clear view of
street doors and the position of windows. But what evidence is there that criminals
are using Google Earth to aid them in crime?
A burglar in the United Kingdom used Google Earth to target an elderly woman in
her 80's. Steven Hodgson is said to have broken into Patricia Thompson's home
and tortured her until she gave him her bank PIN number. Once he had her bank
information he killed her, filled two suitcases with her jewelry and other valuables
and phoned for a taxi. Hodgson was unanimously convicted of murder and
burglary after a six-day trial in Teesside Crown Court. He has been ordered to
serve at least 34 years of a life sentence before being considered for release.
Conclusion of the case
There are several ways to use Google Earth. One is to use it as a guide to
see the whole world sitting in your home in front of your screen. The main feature
is the satellite images or street view for guiding people. However this feature used
for criminals achievements. Therefore, there are no stopping people from
committing their crimes. The technology is a tool that has two edges. Steven
Hodgson should not misuse the technology in the first place and it is his fault
because the criminal is still criminal.
5. Conclusion
Google Earth is software created by Keyhole and acquired by Google in
2004. It has the capability to view the whole world in some different features like
satellite view, sky mode, street view and other features. Since the Google Earth
appeared there are some good and bad concerns have been appeared. The
advantage of this technology it helped the people to explore the world in their
home. Also, it used to discover many things in different places. FBI and other
government sectors used this technology to track their targets easily. The
disadvantage of this technology it has been used by criminals and thieves to help
them for committing their crimes. And some places have been destroyed by the
attacks of the terrorists using this technology caused a death of people. In
conclusion, the effectiveness of Google Earth is depended on people’s behavior.
6. References
1. Wikipedia. (17 May 2011) Google Earth, [Online], Available:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Earth [17 May 2011].
2. Quezi. (16 Mar 2009) Has Google Earth ever been used as an aid to commit
crime?, [Online], Available: http://quezi.com/5200 [17 May 2011].
3. The Telegraph. (15 Mar 2009) Google Earth used by thief to pinpoint buildings
with valuable lead roofs, [Online], Available:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/4995293/Google-Earth-used-by-thief-to-
pinpoint-buildings-with-valuable-lead-roofs.html [18 May 2011]
4. Elinor Mills, (16 Jan 2007) Google, British military discuss Google Earth use in
attacks, [Online], Available: http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6150596-7.html
[18 May 2011]
5. RealityPrime, (3 Jul 2007) How Google Earth [Really] Works, [Online],
Available: http://www.realityprime.com/articles/how-google-earth-really-works
[18 May 2011]
6. Nature, (15 Feb 2006) How does Google Earth work?, [Online], Available:
http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060213/full/news060213-7.html [19 May 2011]
7. Google Earth, Features, [Online], Available:
http://www.google.com/earth/media/features.html [19 May 2011]
8. Wikipedia, (16 May 2011) Google Street View, [Online], Available:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Street_View [19 May 2011]
9. Directions Magazine, (21 Feb 2008) Private vs. Publicly funded Base Maps – Is
Google Earth a Public Trust?, [Online], Available:
http://apb.directionsmag.com/entry/private-vs-publicly-funded-base-maps-is-
google-earth-a-public-trust/155410 [20 May 2011]
10. Jane McEntegart, (20 May 2010) Murderer Uses Google Earth to Target
Victim, [Online], Available: http://www.tomsguide.com/us/Google-Google-Earth-
Google-Maps,news-6850.html [20 May 2011]