Google has disabled certain Google Maps live traffic tools in Ukraine.
This, it is believed, will negatively impact the advancement of the Russian troops heading towards the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv and impair troops’ ability to track enemies’ movement.
According to TechCrunch, Alphabet indicated that the decision was taken after the company consulted with local authorities as Ukraine contend with Russian forces.
According to Reuters, the features will remain on for local turn-by-turn navigation for drivers, while broader global access is disabled.
The popular mapping technology has served a surprise role in the invasion of Ukraine since the outset. One research facility in California was able to spot the Russian approach toward the Ukrainian border hours before the “special military operation” was officially declared, using a combination of Maps traffic data and satellite imaging to spot traffic pileups.
“In the old days, we would have relied on a reporter to show us what was happening on the ground,” researcher Jeffrey Lewis told The Washington Post. “And today, you can open Google Maps and see people fleeing Kyiv.”
Alphabet’s move appears to stem from concerns that the information could similarly be exploited by the Russian military to track the Ukrainian troop movement. The corporation hasn’t offered anything in the way of specifics on the matter, including when the switch was flipped or whether it’s taken similar action amid other global conflicts.
On the ground, Ukrainians have been taking a far more old-school approach to the matter. The government’s road agency, Ukravtodor, began removing road signs in an attempt to confuse Russian forces.
“Let’s help them get straight to hell,” it wrote on social media on Saturday. “Ukravtodor calls on all road organizations, territorial communities, local governments to immediately begin dismantling nearby road signs.”
