Editing Google Maps (section)

=== Map data and imagery ===
{{See also|List of satellite map images with missing or unclear data}}The Google Maps terms and conditions<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/help/terms_maps.html|title=Google Maps/Google Earth Additional Terms of Service |publisher=Google Maps|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208034157/http://maps.google.com/help/terms_maps.html|archive-date=February 8, 2010|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref> state that usage of material from Google Maps is regulated by Google Terms of Service<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/|title=Google Terms of Service |website=Google |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125031300/http://www.google.com/intl/en/policies/terms/|archive-date=January 25, 2012|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref> and some additional restrictions. Google has either purchased local map data from established companies, or has entered into lease agreements to use copyrighted map data.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/help/legalnotices_maps/|title=Legal Notices for Google Maps/Google Earth and Google Maps/Google Earth APIs |website=Google |access-date=October 3, 2019|archive-date=January 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119143234/https://www.google.com/help/legalnotices_maps/|url-status=live}}</ref> The owner of the copyright is listed at the bottom of zoomed maps. For example, street maps in Japan are leased from [[Zenrin]]. Street maps in China are leased from [[AutoNavi]].<ref name="Lee-2012">{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-05/apple-shares-google-china-map-partner-in-win-for-autonavi.html |url-access=subscription |title=Apple Shares Google China Map Partner in Win for Autonavi|last=Lee|first=Mark|website=[[Bloomberg News]]|date=July 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018152101/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-05/apple-shares-google-china-map-partner-in-win-for-autonavi.html|archive-date=October 18, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Russian street maps are leased from Geocentre Consulting and [[Tele Atlas]]. Data for [[North Korea]] is sourced from the companion project [[Google Map Maker]].

Street map overlays, in some areas, may not match up precisely with the corresponding satellite images. The street data may be entirely erroneous, or simply out of date: "The biggest challenge is the currency of data, the authenticity of data," said Google Earth representative [[Brian McClendon]]. As a result, in March 2008 Google added a feature to edit the locations of houses and businesses.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maps.google.com/help/maps/edit/|title=Improve information in Google Maps for the world to see|publisher=Google Maps|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071212195236/https://maps.google.com/help/maps/edit/|archive-date=December 12, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2008/03/its-your-world-map-it.html|title=Google LatLong: It's your world. Map it|last=Balakrishnan|first=Ramesh|date=March 18, 2008|publisher=Google-latlong.blogspot.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091230065026/http://google-latlong.blogspot.com/2008/03/its-your-world-map-it.html|archive-date=December 30, 2009|url-status=live|access-date=January 13, 2010}}</ref>

Restrictions have been placed on Google Maps through the apparent censoring of locations deemed potential security threats. In some cases the area of redaction is for specific buildings, but in other cases, such as Washington, D.C.,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/21/AR2007072101296.html|title=Google's View of D.C. Melds New and Sharp, Old and Fuzzy|last=Johnson|first=Jenna|date=July 22, 2007|access-date=May 3, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213102542/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/21/AR2007072101296.html|archive-date=February 13, 2011|url-status=live|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref> the restriction is to use outdated imagery.