Update: House Committee Question Google’s Change to NO Imagery

Update: Computerworld reports that Google’s Senior Policy Council (I that means the person is a lawyer) sent a letter(pdf) on Monday 4/2 back to Rep. Brad Miller who launched the query. It states that Google was not contacted by any “government entity” regarding the change in the imagery. Further, the company was looking to set up a meeting with the committee.

—-Original post 3/31——

The AP reports that “The House Committee on Science and Technology’s subcommittee on investigations and oversight on Friday asked Google Inc. Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt to explain why his company is using the outdated imagery.”

How is this a matter for the federal government? Part of request from is to inform the committee if any local or federal agency contacted Google regarding the switch which occured on Google Maps. The AP article suggests the city, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey as sample organizations. I think that’s a fair question.

But this is a company, albeit a public one, why does the governemnt take special interest? “Edith Holleman, staff counsel for the House subcommittee, said it would be useful to understand how Google acquires and manages its imagery because ‘people see Google and other Internet engines and it’s almost like the official word.’” She is of course correct, but it’s not official! In fact, again, it’s a public company! If the governement ran Google or contracted with Google to provide this service, it could have some say, but it doesn’t! It does support World Wind (an open source sort of Google Earth) which has images that more closely match current conditions.