Norway bars Apple from taking aerial photos of Oslo

[Bosonic]

Source: AFP

OSLO — Norway's intelligence agency has blocked US company Apple from flying over Oslo to take 3D aerial photos for its map application, citing national security, officials said Tuesday.

"I can confirm that Apple was not authorised to take aerial photographs because the level of detail in the shots is considered too high for some of the restricted zones," a spokeswoman for the Norwegian National Security Authority (NSM), Mona Stroem Arnoey, said.

"We have however presented Apple with alternative solutions, including buying photos from Norwegian suppliers or from the Norwegian map authorities," she said.

Norway's neighbours Sweden and Denmark have meanwhile granted Apple permission to take aerial photos.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jiBmocEjAEzUPHuat48-kwppEhrA?docId=CNG.dba0d5223b96bf289a0dccc58fc430b6.b71&hl=en

[onehandle]

1. I've read some comments from Norwegians. Google has photographed Oslo from top to bottom.

Streetview, skyview... It's all there.

The consensus is that Apple refused to bribe anyone.

[Diclotican]

2. onehandle

onehandle

Are you implying that the only reason Apple was not able to get a permit to photograph Oslo is because they was not willing to bribe officials enough?.... I doubt that most officials in Norway, that be in the government, or in any of the other offices and municipalities are corrupt - as a rule, most Norwegian officials are known to be rather on the other side - that they do not accept bribes of any way - even if it is seen as a "gift" from the giver... And anyway anything over the sum of 50 NKR should be declared to the government anyway - and I doubt Apple have anything that is worth less than 50 NKR in their store to bribe Norwegian officals...

But, you can always trust the ones who claim that the only reason - is because Apple was not wiling to bribe anyone - I guess that Apple never have had a case where they are bribing anyone to get what they want....


Google have by the way - to a degree photographed Oslo from streetwiew or skywiew as it is - why not ask Google to lend some of the pictures from their database if they are in so deep need of getting pictures.... The Apple solution to "google earth" is not exactly what I would call a success... And as I understand it - Google was accepting the fact, that some building are more restricted when it comes to pictures than others - that be on streetwiew or skyview - why can not Apple accept the same conditions as Google did it ?

And by the way - Google earth still have my old car in the driveway even if it is a few years back I got rid of the car....

Diclotican



Diclotican

[dipsydoodle]

5. Diclotican

Same happened to me, Google Earth did have my Jeep on the drive and then switched back to the car I had before that. Most odd.

[Diclotican]

7. dipsydoodle

dipsydoodle

Yeah - it is little weird - but then again, for the moment I have no car.. the old one was to expensive to repair and I'm saving up to another one - And I'm on my good way to do it too. - but cars is little expensive in Norway, both to buy, and to use.. Oh well, I have both the train and the bus almost on my doorstep so I guess I'm lucky compared to many others - the bus service starts at 5:45 in the morning, and end at 24 at the evening.. SO I guess I'm pretty well served with it comes to collective transport... And I'm also in walking distance to the train....

But I miss the car sometimes....

Diclotican

[Quantess]

3. "the consensus" from "some norwegians" who commented after the article.

Uh.... yeah. That means diddly.

[Dreamer Tatum]

6. Got a link for that "consensus?" nt

[MADem]

8. Why would Apple refuse to bribe them, when they bribed the Russians?

http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/apple-under-scrutiny-for-allegedly-bribing-russian-officials

Makes no sense.

[sir pball]

11. Don't feed the troll, people

S/he has me on ignore so I couldn't even if I wanted to, but it's just bad netiquette to reply to a person like that. Unfortunately this one is either paid or a bigger fanatic than even I was back in the day so ignoring them won't make them go away, but at least you can deprive them of the satisfaction of a reply. Just sayin'.

[cstanleytech]

4. Wow, they sound paranoid.

[ConcernedCanuk]

9. paranoid means having a fear of something that doesn't exist

.
.
.

spying is real, as is invasion of privacy.

maybe they like privacy?



CC

[cstanleytech]

10. Mmm except that if that was the case then you would think

they would be shooting down satellites in orbit not to mention barring any foreigners entry into the country.