It seems nothing can remain safe from the hands of Google for long after even North Korea, the world’s most isolated country, was detailed on the American technology giant’s mapping service.
Just recently Google announced that it has made available updated maps of the communist country which was made possible by the efforts of independent cartographers based in the country through the use of the Google Map Maker tool.
With only a few people in that country having access to the internet due to the government’s tight hold on all information this is a surprising development. The updated maps show the location of interesting areas in the country as well as things like road networks in the capital Pyongyang.
This is huge news as the country is essentially cut off to all outsiders with limited access granted to carefully whetted tourists who are 24/7 under surveillance by the state’s security establishment. Nothing though it seems can keep Google away.
The update comes just a few weeks after Google CEO Eric Schmidt made a private visit to the country even though the US government opposed the excursion. Speaking after his visit Mr Schmidt said about internet access available in the country:
“Once the internet starts in any country, citizens in that country can certainly build on top of it, but the government has to do one thing: open up the Internet first. They have to make it possible for people to use the Internet, which the government of North Korea has not yet done. It is their choice now, and in my view, it’s time for them to start, or they will remain behind.”
Source: The Next Web
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