Google - a national security risk?

[Colin Dunstan]

Found this today:

The German Spiegel has noticed a stealth bomber caught in Google Maps. Phillip at Google Blogoscoped translates their article, which points out that this is the type of thing that is supposed to be "scrubbed" from satellite imagery.

As you know it's prohibited to get close to military bases, let alone photograph them. Usually satellite images which are made public online are retouched to blur scenerey which might compromise security. At least that’s what you assume in times of terror. However, the googling tourist stumbles upon a stealth bomber on a military airport in California. Apparently, someone forgot to paint over this one.

Perhaps Google is just getting sloppy with all the cash in its hands.