If there's one thing we've learned about mapmaking (beyond their gross scale errors), it's that developers often insert fictional streets or false areas as 'markers' in case someone steals their work. But Google Maps relies heavily on its users, and that has given rise to a series of quite strange events, such as a neighborhood in San Francisco that appeared out of nowhere, an island that belongs to two countries, and the deepening of a dispute between Nicaragua and Costa Rica that could have ended very badly...
The East Cut: A Neighborhood That Didn't Exist
The recent video from Half as Interesting presents The East Cut, an area in San Francisco that nobody had called by that name before. It all started with a project aimed at revaluing the area in question, and one of the first decisions was to replace the classic Rincon Hill with The East Cut. However, the marketing campaign (which according to The New York Times cost $68,000) received extra help, as one of the committee members worked for Google, and all they had to do was ask the Mountain View giant to identify the area with the new name. Needless to say, residents hate The East Cut, and one of them said it "sounds like a $17 sandwich".
Google Maps and a Border Incident
Even worse was what happened in 2010 between Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Both countries maintain a border dispute near the San Juan River. A Nicaraguan military team was sent to the area to carry out dredging operations in the river, and in the process it entered Calero Island, which belongs to Costa Rica. Without a formal army, Costa Rica's response was to move about 70 police officers to the area, and Nicaragua in turn sent 50 more soldiers. Now, why did Nicaraguan troops enter the island in the first place? The commander of the operation, Edén Pastora, and some government officials apparently blamed Google Maps for presenting incorrect information about the border. Google was quick to correct its information, but the underlying conflict is still unresolved. Lesson of the day: Don't use Google Maps for military maneuvers.
