GOOGLE EMBROILED IN GEORGIAN CONFLICT
Information Age
12th August 2008
UK
Georgian civil infrastructure removed from Google Maps while
cyber-attack victims seek refuge on Google-owned blogs
In war, infrastructure is one of the first targets. And in the midst
of the hostilities between Russia and Georgia, search engine giant
Google has been trying to ensure its global computing infrastructure
does not aid either side in the conflict.
Yesterday, it emerged that the company had removed details of all
roads, towns and cities in Georgia from its Google Maps online
mapping service, as well as from the maps of neighbouring countries
Azerbaijan and Armenia. According to the Azerbaijan Press Agency,
the relevant maps went blank as soon as fighting broke out. However,
satellite information was still available earlier today.
Several observers highlighted the fact that Google co-founder Sergey
Brin is Moscow-born.
Meanwhile, Google is involuntarily providing cyber-refuge to Georgian
websites that have been disrupted by Russian hackers. Georgian news
site Civil.ge relocated to a domain on Google’s Blogger blogging
infrastructure after a cyber-attack, reportedly originating in Russia,
took the website down.
Even Georgia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is using the Blogger
infrastructure to disseminate information: georgiamfa.blogspot.com/
Further reading
Georgian president suffers cyber attack A website belonging to Georgian
president Mikheil Saakashvili was brought down over the weekend,
allegedly by a botnet of Russian origin
Russia in midst of cyber war The attacks appear similar in character
to those perpetrated against neighbouring state Estonia.