Eight ministries and commissions jointly control the illegal map of the Internet. Google says it has no basis.
But said it would cooperate with the government to legislate.
Eight ministries and commissions, including the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, the General Administration of Press and Publication, the Information Office, and the Secrecy Bureau, joined hands to launch a special campaign nationwide for the first time. It is reported that this action began in April and will last until the end of the year. Google Maps, the difficulty of rectification named by experts, claimed that it was very wrong, and said that the current laws and regulations on Internet maps in China are blind spots, but it will cooperate with the government to do a good job in legislation.
The problem of errors, omissions and secrets of Internet maps is prominent.
Min Yiren, deputy director of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, said in an interview that at present, the problems existing in Internet maps are mainly manifested in the following aspects: first, marking a large part of China’s territory abroad in map representation; Second, it omitted to draw important islands such as South China Sea Islands, Diaoyu Islands and chiwei yu. Third, Taiwan Province, our territory, is represented as an independent country or Taiwan Province Island is omitted; The fourth is to draw the administrative boundaries of our country by mistake and publish important geographical indication information without authorization; The fifth is to mark some sensitive, undisclosed and even related information involving state secrets on the map.
By searching keywords on many domestic and foreign websites that provide China map search, the reporter found that these websites all have the problem of marking the location of geographic information, and marked some sensitive, not open and even related information involving China’s secrets on the map. On a website called "China Emergency Network" (emss.cn), there is a schematic diagram of more than 300 emergency centers in China on its self-made emergency map of China. However, this map has wrongly drawn China’s border line, and has drawn a large part of China’s territory abroad.
Relevant persons from the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping said that because the network map is in a dynamic form, it is updated quickly, and the websites copy and upload each other, so the problems existing in the network map are not only common, but also spread quickly and have a wide range of influence.
The lack of supervision of servers is a problem.
Why are there so many "problem maps" on the Internet? Li Yongxiong, director of the Department of Surveying and Mapping Achievements Management and Application of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, believes that one of the reasons is to make and upload the server at will. "At present, only a few maps published on the official website of the Olympic Games have been audited by the administrative department of surveying and mapping. Internet maps that violate laws and regulations are widespread. " He said.
According to him, at present, many geographic information service enterprises draw electronic maps of catering and tourism services through GPS locators without the qualification of surveying and mapping. "This kind of electronic map made by" surveying and mapping by the whole people "is not only rough, but also full of mistakes. It is also possible to mark some geographical information involving state secrets. " Li Yongxiong said.
A spokesman for Google China said that the basic geographic data sources of Google Maps were obtained from units with official surveying and mapping qualifications. Some experts pointed out that it is a difficult point to rectify a commercial website that provides map services like Google, whose server is abroad, if there is a "problem map".
However, the reporter saw on Google and other websites that users can indeed modify and upload map-related place names, building names and other information at will, and advertise their own business.
Internet map market oligopoly
Min Yiren, deputy director of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, believes that errors in Internet maps not only harm the interests of consumers, but also harm the interests of the state. He said: "Internet map is also the main form of national territory, and the wrong national territory is easy to cause our diplomatic passivity." For this view, Google China does not agree-Google China insists that the legislation on Internet maps in China is still in progress, and there is no clear legal provision on what is illegal, so the special governance action itself lacks a legal basis.
"In fact, relevant government leaders and staff often come to Google to discuss the details of how to formulate Internet map regulations. The development of the Internet is often ahead of the law. " A spokesman for Google China said. However, several other big Internet map providers are reluctant to express their views on this matter.
There are reasons behind Google China’s high-profile refutation of the special governance actions of the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. According to a reporter’s investigation, Google China purchased geographic data from Beijing Tumeng Technology Co., Ltd. The company not only has the ICP license "Jing ICP030699" for Internet content operation, but also has the map approval number of electronic map operation service provider issued by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping: "GS(2007)360".
According to the latest research of internet society of china and China Computer Users Association, Tumeng’s market share of map search technology services has reached 53% (including the total share of website traffic such as Google China, Sina Aiwen and SouFun); And its competitor-Beijing Tuweixian Technology Co., Ltd. (drawing approval number: "GS(2006)781") has a share of 41%; The two companies have almost formed an oligopoly in the Internet map market.
The laws and regulations need to be clearly explained by the regulatory authorities.
Some people have raised the question: Can the approval numbers issued by the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping to two electronic map operators be lent to other websites at will? For example, is it allowed by law for Google Maps to use the approval number of Tumen?
"This is a bit like driving a deck car on the road. It seems to be legal. If you check it carefully, you will be exposed." Yang Qun, an analyst of Warring States Policy, commented.
In addition, the following two acts are prohibited according to the Regulations on the Administration of Map Examination and Approval promulgated in August last year: first, the acts of not submitting maps for examination as required or using maps without examination and approval without authorization; Second, the map that has been examined and approved has not been revised according to the examination opinions. Those who commit the above acts shall be ordered by the administrative department of Surveying and Mapping of the State Council or the provincial administrative department of Surveying and Mapping to make corrections within a time limit, given a warning, and may be fined between 5,000 yuan and 20,000 yuan. The above provisions apply to both traditional maps and electronic maps.
According to Yang Qun, another important issue that needs to be clarified is: The map data provided by a company that has been approved by the government to qualify maps to a third-party company is legal and has been examined and approved. However, if a third-party company (such as Google China) makes modifications, additions and other secondary processing on this basis, does it need to be re-examined and approved by surveying and mapping departments at all levels?
"This issue is related to the life and death of many Internet map businesses." Yang Qun said so. (Dong Yi)
Editor: Jufu