"The earth image in Google Earth"
The news articles which I found in guardian.co.uk are “Google Earth keeps London up to date but other cities have an image problem”, “Google Earth used to target Israel” and “Google Earth links with UN for environment watch”
Through the titles of these articles, we will have a doubt that, is it Google Earth a friendly and informative function or Google Earth is not good at all?
Google Earth combines the power of Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips (earth.google.com 2007). It is a program that allows us to search and look everywhere we want. Although the satellite images are only updated on an irregular basis (guardian.co.uk 2007) but we can still see the places clearly and know what does it looked like.
Through the titles of these articles, we will have a doubt that, is it Google Earth a friendly and informative function or Google Earth is not good at all?
Google Earth combines the power of Google Search with satellite imagery, maps, terrain and 3D buildings to put the world's geographic information at your fingertips (earth.google.com 2007). It is a program that allows us to search and look everywhere we want. Although the satellite images are only updated on an irregular basis (guardian.co.uk 2007) but we can still see the places clearly and know what does it looked like.
"Images taken by Google Earth-Top: a city in washington, Bottom: image of hippos"
In the three articles, there are different points of view in this program. Google Earth helps the UN to do environmental watch, to see the pollution and the environment changing around the world. It is a good function to them. But there are people disagrees the usage of Google Earth as it will cause image problem and also invasion of privacy. Different stand have their own discourse or thinking in this issue.
It is also important to note that even discourses which appear to be strongly institutional in character are not necessarily attached to one group or institution, or to one function within culture (Schirato, T & Yell, S 1996).
Kress (1985) puts it ‘a discourse colonises the social world imperialistically, from the point of view of one institution’. There are millions of people in the world and of course, there will be millions of views through this issue. It is just seeing whether we use the Google Earth in a good way or not.
Reference List:
Chassay, C 2007, ‘Google Earth used to target Israel’, viewed 25th October 2007, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2007/oct/25/google.israel>
earth.google.com 2007, Explore, Search and Discover, viewed 25th October 2007, <http://earth.google.com/>
Kress, G 1985, in Schirato, T & Yell, S 1996, Communication and cultural literacy: An introduction, Allen and Unwin, St. Leonards NSW.
Schirato, T & Yell, S 1996, Communication and cultural literacy: An introduction, Allen and Unwin, St. Leonards NSW.
Sweney, M 2006, ‘Google Earth links with UN for environment watch’,
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/sep/14/searchengines.newmedia>
Thorpe, V 2006, ‘Google Earth Keeps London up to date but other cities have an image problem’, viewed 25th October 2007, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/nov/26/news.travelnews>
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/sep/14/searchengines.newmedia>
Thorpe, V 2006, ‘Google Earth Keeps London up to date but other cities have an image problem’, viewed 25th October 2007, <http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2006/nov/26/news.travelnews>
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