• CNet, Wednesday, March 11, 2009 12 PM

California Assemblyman Joel Anderson is proposing a measure that would force Google to blur images of hospitals, schools, churches and government buildings on Google Maps and Google Earth. CNet writer Elinor Mills argues that not only would this "reduce the usefulness" of these products, but it would also be "a huge undertaking for Google and would probably violate the First Amendment." Anderson's measure, dubbed "AB-255" would apply to services that make "a virtual globe browser available to members of the public". It says that a violation would incur fines of up to $250,000 per day.

In an interview with Computer World, Anderson cites terrorism as justification for the proposed censorship: "We heard from terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks last year that they used Google Maps to select their targets and get knowledge about their targets. Hamas has said they were using Google Maps to target children's schools. What my bill does is limit the level of detail. It doesn't stop people from getting directions. We don't need to help bad people map their next target. What is the purpose of showing air ducts and elevator shafts? It does no good."

Google spokeswoman Elaine Filadelfo said the company hopes to talk to Anderson about the proposed legislation. Google has blurred images on its services in the past in response to privacy concerns. The U.S. military banned the search giant from taking street view images from inside military bases and in 2007 India asked that certain government and military buildings be blurred. The company also began blurring people's faces on Street View.

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