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Google Maps

Google Maps provides mapping information, satellite imagery and Google Street View imagery including historical Street View images.

URL

https://www.google.com/maps

Description

Google Maps is a web-based service offering comprehensive information about geographical regions globally. It provides road maps, aerial and satellite views, and street views which makes it a useful resource for open-source researchers. It includes features like real-time traffic updates, business information, 3D views, and location sharing. However, not all of these are relevant to open-source researchers who typically use this service for geolocation and verification purposes. Here are some of the features that are most pertinent to researchers:

Satellite imagery

One of the advantages for open-source researchers when using Google Maps is that it offers access to satellite imagery. Being able to look at locations from all around the world from above is handy when conducting geolocations.

Google Maps' satellite mode can be switched on via the layers menu which is located at the bottom left of the map:

It must be noted that satellite imagery is not shown in real-time, as Google sources its imagery from various suppliers. If you need very recent satellite imagery, for instance to report on a news event, you need to find alternatives to the free satellite imagery provided on Google platforms.

For many locations, Google provides historical satellite imagery allowing open-source researchers to compare imagery from the same location at different points in time. It is important to note that historical satellite imagery is not accessible via Google Maps but only via Google Earth Pro.

3D View

This feature displays urban features such as buildings, pylons, and other infrastructure, as well as natural elements like trees and mountains in a three-dimensional perspective. A 3D view can help open-source researchers get an immersive spatial view of geographical locations which are typically presented in a two-dimensional format on a map. However, researchers should not rely on 3D View representations alone. It is always recommended to also look at other pictures of the same location.

You can activate 3D mode by switching to satellite view, which you access by clicking on the layers icon at the bottom left. Make sure the globe option is enabled to use this feature. This option is in the Layers menu. For more details, refer to this guide from Google support on how to switch between Google map types.

Once activated, users can switch between 2D and 3D views by clicking on this icon on the right:

Users can tilt, rotate, and zoom in and out to explore areas of interest in greater depth.

The screenshot below shows the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City in 3D view.

From the 3D map interface, switch to the Street View option to view street-level photography of the area.

Street View

Street View offers 360-degree imagery, allowing users to explore an area from a ground-level perspective. Google Street View offers an extensive collection of panoramas stitched together to provide a virtual representation of an area. People from anywhere in the world can contribute to this vast collection of street view imagery. The tech giant employs various methods, including the Street View Car, Street View Trekker, Street View Trolley, and more, to capture and update imagery from tight and narrow spaces or areas "only accessible by foot” to “museums around the world”.

As of 2022, “Google Street View cars equipped with cameras have captured and shared more than 220 billion Street View images and travelled over 10 million miles — the equivalent of circling the globe more than 400 times” since the launch of this service in 2007.

This Blue areas on this Google Map indicate coverage of Google's Street View imagery. Keep in mind that it depends on the location how recent the imagery is.

In recent years, Street View has become an invaluable resource for journalists and open-source researchers. Using Google’s street-level photography, researchers from Bellingcat successfully geolocated the house of a Malaysian wildlife trafficker for the story “The Hunt for Malaysia's Elusive Wildlife Trafficker” in February 2025. They matched the photos of the house posted online with the Street View imagery, revealing the location where illegal wildlife trafficking was taking place.

To use this feature, search for an address or the coordinates of an area. Then, select the street view icon shown below:

Alternatively, one can select and drop the yellow "Pegman" from the bottom right corner of the screen and drop it onto your area of interest (depending on the available coverage).

It is also possible to view the coverage of Street View available for any location by selecting "Street View" from the layers menu. The screenshot below shows the coverage available for Moscow, Russia:

Once in this mode, explore the location using the 360-degree interface. Rotate the view, move up or down, and one can navigate through the area, depending on the available coverage.

It is important to note that Street View does not provide real-time photography of the area. Images do not show the location on the same day they were taken, according to Google’s street view policy page. Instead, it takes months to process the imagery before it is made available online. So, it can be “anywhere from a few months to a few years old.”

Time travel using historical imagery in street view

Open-source researchers can use the time travel feature to view older images of a location in Street View. This is beneficial in understanding how a location has changed over time. The historical imagery feature was launched in 2014, and coverage of some areas dates back to as early as 2007.

To view past images of an area, open the street view photography of the location of your choice. Once in street view mode, click on the “see more dates” at the top left corner (if available).

This opens up different windows for imagery of the area for the available dates. For instance, the screenshot below shows imagery from November 2007 of a new building for the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which was still under construction in Phoenix, Arizona, at the time.

The school celebrated its grand opening in Phoenix in November 2008. Although there is no Street View imagery from the exact date of the opening, images from March 2009 are available and display the newly completed building:

Similarly, users can view imagery of the same area up to January 2023 and see how this region has changed over time! This feature is accessible in both the mobile and browser versions of Google Maps.

Not all areas around the world have extensive street view photography available. To overcome this shortcoming, consider exploring other street view from other services, such as Mapillary, Yandex Maps, and Kartaview, among others.

Measure Distance

Another useful feature of Google Maps is its built-in measuring tool. A researcher can draw a line from one point on the map to another to determine the distance between them in area. If one measurement line is not sufficient, the tool also allows multiple lines to be drawn consecutively.

On the location of your choice, right-click on the map and select “Measure Distance” from the menu. Click on the starting point, drag to create a path, and then click again to complete the line. To remove it, click on the ending point. A point can also be moved by clicking on the point, holding and dragging it.

The visual below shows the distance between the Eiffel Tower and Émile Anthoine Stadium in Paris, France, using the measuring feature.

Other features

Google Maps offers additional useful features. One of them is Custom Maps, which enables users to create, personalise, and share their maps. Read more about this feature here.

Formats

Google Maps is available in the following formats:

Use Cases

  1. Location Verification: Researchers can use Google Maps to verify the location of a news event, checking the geographical accuracy of claims made in various reports. Be aware that not all imagery is current, see: Google Earth imagery updates.

  2. Event Visualization: By utilizing the satellite and street view features, researchers can offer readers a visual context of an event location, making stories more immersive.

  3. Investigative Research: Google Maps can be an invaluable tool for investigative journalism, allowing reporters to explore and gather information on otherwise inaccessible locations or properties.

  4. Environmental and Urban Changes: The historical imagery available on Google Maps enables researchers to document changes in the environment or urban expansion over time, supporting stories on climate change or urban development.

  5. Historical Street View Imagery and Historical images: can be useful to geolocate events.

Using Bellingcat Filename Finder for Google Maps

The tool Bellingcat Filename Finder, enables users to view the filenames of images that have been uploaded by users to Google Maps, providing contextual information. Filenames are not automatically displayed when viewing an image on Google Maps. However, after installing the tool as a Google Chrome extension, filenames appear on images when using Google Maps. See more about this tool in Bellingcat's guide “What’s in a Name? Discovering Clues Hidden in Google Maps Image Filenames.”

Cost

Level of difficulty

Requirements

  • Web: any modern web browser

  • Mobile: iOS and Android

  • Developer Platform: Google account with email address and a credit card.

Limitations

  • Data Availability: While Google Maps offers comprehensive coverage, the availability of Streetview imagery, particularly in less populated or updated areas, may vary. For more information on how and when Street View imagery is collected see here.

  • API Usage Limits: For developers using the Google Maps API, there are usage limits. Exceeding these limits without purchasing additional credits can lead to service interruptions. Google offers many APIs for mapping, geocoding and other GIS services. Each service comes with its own limits depending on the service. Usage limits and detailed billing information of the Maps Javascript API are something to investigate before using the service but for many low workload users it will not be an issue.

  • Privacy Concerns: There are privacy issues related to location tracking and data collection. Users should be aware of the data being shared with Google. Although Google provides information on how to protect one's privacy it is important to be aware of privacy concerns.

  • Imagery Currency: Satellite images may not be very new in some areas of the world, see Google Earth imagery updates.

  • Limited Offline Functionality: While there is an option for offline maps, not all features, like real-time traffic updates, are available in this mode.

Ethical Considerations

When journalists use Google Maps, they should consider the following ethical aspects:

  • Privacy and Anonymity: Be cautious when reporting on sensitive areas or topics. Ensure individuals' locations or movements are not disclosed without consent, especially in contexts where revealing locations could endanger lives or privacy.

  • Data Accuracy and Misrepresentation: Verify the accuracy of the information provided by Google Maps. Misrepresenting a location, either intentionally or accidentally due to outdated or incorrect map data, can lead to misinformation and harm reputations. Be careful of business information in particular and aware of the time lag behind the gathering of Street View imagery. For more information on how Google tries to ensure accuracy see here and here.

  • Impartiality and Bias: Understand the limitations of Google Maps in representing disputed territories or areas of conflict. Be aware of how the depiction of these areas might convey a particular political stance or bias. Examples of this can be seen in border bias and local 'safety' bias.

  • Dependence and Verification: While Google Maps is a powerful tool for gathering information about locations, researchers should cross-verify this information with other sources to avoid dependence on a singular digital map service.

  • Ethical Use of API: If utilizing the Google Maps API for data visualization or storytelling, ensure that the usage complies with Google's terms of service and respects user privacy and data usage policies. Unauthorized use or manipulation of data could lead to ethical concerns and legal issues.

Guide

To effectively use Google Maps, especially for beginners or those looking to refine their skills, the following resources are highly recommended:

Official Wiki

Tutorials and Articles

Video Tutorials

Developer Resources

  • Google Maps API: Developers looking to integrate Google Maps into their websites or applications should refer to the Google Maps Platform for comprehensive documentation and coding examples.

Community and Support

  • Google Maps Help Center: Explore the official for guides on basic functionalities, from searching locations to understanding map views.

Tool provider

Google https://about.google/ - United States

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Page maintainer

Anisa Shabir

Last updated

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