MADRAS HC DISMISSES PETITION TO BAN ON GOOGLE EARTH

MADRAS HC DISMISSES PETITION TO BAN ON GOOGLE EARTH 12/18/2008 The Madras High Court dismissed a petition seeking ban on Google Earth, a website, displaying satellite images of the earth’s surface, enabling terrorists to access close-up view of sensitive establishments in the country. While dismissing the petition, a Bench comprising acting Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhya and Justice V Danapalan directed the petitioner to approach the TRAI, which had control over websites, or the Centre. In his petition, J Mohan Raj, a retired police officer and the General Secretary of the Jebamani Janata Party, submitted that the world’s largest internet company ‘Google’ developed ‘Google Earth,’ an interactive mapping programme, empowered by satellite and serial imagery, which covered vast surface of the planet. It displayed satellite images of varying resolutions of the earth’s surface, allowing users a birds eye view of cities, streets and even houses and also provided viewers minute details and photographs. Such snooping extends to sensitive establishments like various nuclear plants, space centres, defence and training institutions posed a security threat to the country, the petitioner contended. The petitioner sought a direction from the Court to the Union government for a total or partial ban on Google Earth in the interest of the country’s security. UNI

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