Chinese ban online mapping too
NOW, NOT ONLY do the Chinese have a problem with foreign media services, they also have a bone to pick with online mapping websites. On Thursday, Chinese state media said that it would crack down on sites showing unapproved maps lest they pose a risk to national security.
Government agencies, including the foreign ministry, have been told to hike up their levels of regulation on geographical information available on the Internet. According to AFP there are about 10,000 online map sites in China of which most have not received any official approval. Deputy director with the State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, Min Yiren, reckoned that closing these sites down would be necessary as "some websites publish sensitive or confidential geographical information, which might leak state secrets and threaten security".
An informant hotline has been set up by the government so that the public can squeal on any illegal mapping websites they might happen to come across.
Of course, its not only the actual mapping, but also the labeling which causes China concern. For example, the communist super state will also attempt to remove or block any sites it finds referring to Taiwan as being independent from China. China’s countrymapping bureau also threatened that foreigners who carried out illegal mapping surveys, or published geographical information on China without consent would be "severely punished".µ
L’Inq
AFP
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Dick Cheney removed his home from Google Map. Google map information regarding some U.S. consulate is absolutely inaccurate (I just waste almost an hour to find the U.S. Consulate by following Google Map, the map would lead you to a completely wrong direction, is it an accident, or is done intentionally? Well, make your own mind). 
It's not just the Chinese, things like this happen to many other governments.
This is why net neutrality should never be challenged. As soon as it is broken we end up like China, the LAN that goes to the border and stops.
So they are blocking these sites inside China and probably taking down some internal Chinese sites.

Everyone outside China can still visit google maps, so what does this have to do with stopping the leaking of state secrets.


Must be a case of the westen media getting it wrong again because it makes no sense.
That's okay, the U.S. government has real-time satellite spying, plus the rest of us can use Google Earth. So the chinese government isn't doing anything by their ban on online mapping other than demonstrating their stupidity.

Oh, and the CIA has ways to get demographic facts that don't depend on the approval of the ChiComs.
I have been following this site. If I have no idea about China, would I get an accurate picture about China? Or may be CNN is more accurate? 

There are many problems with China, and the progress has been moving forward and backward at times. 

Overall, China is moving forward, the internet is great media for Chinese people. The government is busy to handle the new media, but I guess eventually people will win.


Perhaps you can see tanks in Tibet ?
You can say all the bad things about the Chinese government, at least they're open about information control.

If you think you can obtain information on anything you wanted up and including sensitive information just because you're living under a democracy you're deluding yourself.