Using Google Earth (And GPS) To Support Human Rights

Frank Taylor over at the Google Earth Blog recently posted and excellent example of folks using Google earth to track human rights violations. And for ethos of you mired in the “heartland of America” who think of someone cutting you off in traffic or cutting in front of the line at 7-11, we’re talking here about the “human rights” issues like “ethnic cleansing” … how’s that for a euphuism for murder … ever notice how the more years of education people have the less they have the courage to speak actual English about issues? (can ya hear me, Condi, as you fly over?)

Anyway, if you’re not one of Frank’s readers already, become one.

And if you don’t already have Google Earth on your computer, install it.

What’s my tie-in to GPS? Well, glad you asked. When most of us think of GPS we think of those somewhat mysterious latitude/longitude things … coordinate systems. You can track where you are with GPS, you can “GPS tag” your pictures as you take them, y6ou can use your GPS-enabled phone to track your teenager or play hide and seek games with friends … you can even hang a GPS collar on your dog. But you can’t do a darn thing with GPS coordinates unless you have a map to plot them on.

Maps have been the keys to the kingdom for a long time now, but (as I have written about several times in the past), the “gifted and talented”, the rich and the security clearance folks are no longer the holders of the keys.

You see evidence of government or corporate wrong-doing on Google earth? well you can mark it up, make a simple text-based file and share it with everyone in the world who can access Google earth (essentially everyone who can beg borrow or steal a moderate-speed Internet connection). GPS, Coordinate systems and Google earth are great tools to enable folks. It’s a great time to be alive, that’s for sure.