GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: GPS Meets Google Earth

 

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: AFCEA/Signal Online

31March2011 10:13pmEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Members of the 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2 SOPS) deployed a novel tool to Afghanistan last month, giving warfighters the ability to combine Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities with Google Earth. The resource enhances situational awareness and information sharing, and developers intend it to assist with planning efforts. Though only available on the classified network now, plans are underway to create an unclassified version as well.

Lt. Col. Jennifer Grant, USAF, commander of 2 SOPS, explains that the technology—which so far is unnamed—overlays GPS files on top of the terrain landscape provided by Google's mapping. "Those files often show us what our navigation signal coverage is over certain geographic areas," she says.

When warfighters use the tool, they see a picture of GPS coverage in almost real time. Col. Grant says that previous technology could offer only a snapshot of the past. The overarching goal for the project is "to provide an automatic real-time and near real-time mission planning product for the warfighter," she explains. (read full report)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Legit Sites Could Get Caught in Google's Content Farm Crosshairs

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: Tech News World

26February2011 8:00amEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Google on Thursday began using a new algorithm to rid its top search results of what it described as low-quality websites.

This will reduce the rankings for sites that are low value-add for users, ones that copy content from other websites, or sites that just aren't very useful.

Simultaneously, the algorithm will improve the rankings for high-quality sites, which Google defines as sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports and thoughtful analysis.

The use of the algorithm may be a reaction to companies that try game the Google ranking system, or perhaps a bid to clamp down on content farms.

However, there's a danger that legitimate sites may be affected.

Google did not respond to requests for comment by press time. (read full report)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS/MSS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Google Street View raises Israeli security fears

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: WIStv

22February2011 11:32amEST

GCIS/MSS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: JERUSALEM (AP) - Google has for years fought claims its mapping and photography services infringed on personal privacy. Now the Internet giant is facing concerns from Israel that the technology could be used for terrorism.

Israel announced Monday it is considering ways for Google Street View to photograph Israeli cities, despite concerns the popular service could be used by terrorists to plot attacks against sensitive locations or political figures.

A team of Israeli Cabinet ministers led by Intelligence Minister Dan Meridor instructed experts Monday to work with Google Inc. to find a safe way to implement the feature "as soon as possible," according to an official statement. The team is weighing benefits, such as increased visibility for tourist sites, with public safety and personal privacy.

Street View allows users to virtually tour locations on a map. It is already available in 27 countries. Google uses special vehicles with panoramic cameras to take ground-level, 3-D images.

The feature has sparked intense debate about invasions of privacy in the U.S., Germany and other countries.

Critics argue the images could reveal people in places they don't want to be seen or doing things that might be embarrassing. Also, Google said last year that its vehicles had inadvertently collected computer data from Wi-Fi networks.

The issue has created a special dilemma in Israel, a country that is known as an international high-tech powerhouse but where the public is on constant alert for attacks by Palestinian militants. (read full report)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Google Teams Up With Twitter And SayNow To Bring Tweeting-By-Phone To Egypt

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: TechCrunch

31January2011 6:43pmEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: It was only last week that Google acquired SayNow, a voice messaging startup, They’re already putting them to good use. I mean really good use.

As they’ve just announced on the Google Blog, the search giant has teamed up with the incoming SayNow team and Twitter to create a simple speak-to-tweet service for people currently engulfed in the turmoil in Egypt.

Says Google:

It’s already live and anyone can tweet by simply leaving a voicemail on one of these international phone numbers (+16504194196 or +390662207294 or +97316199855) and the service will instantly tweet the message using the hashtag #egypt. No Internet connection is required. People can listen to the messages by dialing the same phone numbers or going to twitter.com/speak2tweet.http://twitter.com/speak2tweet

We hope that this will go some way to helping people in Egypt stay connected at this very difficult time. Our thoughts are with everyone there.

Very, very cool. And important. Especially since reports have the last operating ISP in the country, Noor, being shut down as well.  (read full report)

GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Advocacy Group Calls for Investigation of Google's 'Secret' NSA Relationships

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: Switched

27January2011 3:42pmEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE:  A consumer-advocacy group is urging Congress to investigate what it calls a suspiciously "cozy" relationship between Google and the Obama administration.

In a letter (PDF) sent to Representative Darrell Issa, Consumer Watchdog asked the Republican to hold a congressional investigation into contracts that governmental agencies have signed with Google, as well as the NSA's "secretive" relationship with the company. The group went on to claim that the government took "insufficient" action after Google admitted to inadvertently collecting personal data from Wi-Fi networks with its Street View cars -- an incident that Consumer Watchdog called "the largest wire tapping scandal in world history." (read full report)