However, usually Google Maps simply blurs the house or its address plate, and does not black out the area.ĭmytro Sholomko, Google’s country director in Ukraine, said he did not know whether the company blocks sites on its mapping service at the request of the Ukrainian authorities. It also allows ordinary people to request that their house not be shown in Street View.

Tech giant Google has blurred or pixelated sites on its maps at the request of governments. The exact reason for the blackout is unclear, but it raises an obvious question: Is it a security measure taken by the Ukrainian government? The “black zones” are located on the road where Zelensky’s parents live in a large, high-rise housing complex and along another nearby street. Its Street View feature allows users to wander the streets of cities and towns around the world without ever leaving home.īut on several streets in the Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, the hometown of President Volodymyr Zelensky, Street View abruptly goes black, preventing users from seeing anything but the name of the street that they are on. Google Maps is one of the world’s most popular online mapping systems - a powerful tool used for navigation and research purposes. Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to add additional information.

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