Govt cagey about Google photo shoot monitoring

GOTHATAONE MOENG
Staff Writer | Friday April 13, 2012 00:00

While government spokesperson, Jeff Ramsay, has previously said that government will closely monitor Google's activities, yesterday he refused to name the specific security force(s) between the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) responsible for the monitoring.

'It's not important, they are all security forces. They work for the same government and they work together,' he told Mmegi yesterday. Ramsay also refused to say how exactly the monitoring will take place, and dismissed concerns that Google might have better technology than the local security organs.

'We (government and Google) had discussions about this, we agreed on a plan, and we are implementing it. It's only you guys at Mmegi that are trying to make this controversial,' he said. The director of DIS, Isaac Kgosi, referred all queries to Ramsay.  Meanwhile, the director of public affairs and protocol at BDF, Colonel Paul Sharp, has denied reports that Google's camera-mounted vehicles have been spotted outside the Glen Valley and Sir Seretse Khama barracks.

'It's definitely not true,' he said, adding, '(Google) has been in consultation with government including the department of surveys, and the Ministry of State President. They cannot photograph any military installations'.

Google started collecting images in Botswana in early March, making the country the second African state after South Africa, to be part of the street view feature. The feature is also available in 30 countries across the world where it has raised privacy concerns. 

In 2010, the Czech Office for Personal Data Protection refused to allow Google to collect images in the country, saying the service 'disproportionately invades citizens' privacy,' according to the UK Guardian.