NEW DELHI: The national surveying agency has filed a police complaint against Google over a contest organised by the firm for its Map Maker application, an official said yesterday.
The software giant organised its “Mapathon 2013” competition from February to March, asking users to send in details of restaurants, hospitals, shops, addresses and street names using the Google Map Maker service.
Major General R C Padhi, Additional Surveyor General in the Survey of India, said his office had filed a police complaint against Google in Delhi last week because of a possible security risk.
“We filed a complaint against Google because Mapathon 2013 is not in accordance with Indian law or our national mapping policy and it has serious security implications,” Padhi said.
Padhi said Map Maker users might send in information revealing sensitive details of security installations and defence establishments. “You cannot just publish a map online using any data without getting clearance from the right government authorities,” he said.
He added that he had not yet seen any Google maps showing sensitive addresses or buildings.
A Google India statement said the company had organised the contest to encourage Indians to use Map Maker, which was launched in the country in 2008.
“Relevant Indian authorities, including the ministry of science and technology and the surveyor general of India, have been briefed on Map Maker, which complies with all applicable laws,” the statement said.
“We take security and national regulations very seriously, and we’re open to discussing specific concerns with public authorities and officials.”
A senior police official in Delhi said they had received the complaint, but had not registered an first information report which is the first step in a criminal case.
AFP
