• stoy@lemmy.zip
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    3 days ago

    This is something I have thought about.

    Google Maps and Street View is an immense strategic resource for the US.

    To not only have the maps and satellite photos, but actually have geotagged street photographs of basically every nation’s road network is insanely useful in a military conflict.

    Imagine planning a spec-ops mission, having access to photos showing the entire attack/escape route where you can draw planned supply drops on actual photos of the exact location while also having photos of the entire route.

    This is hugely strategic

    • Routhinator@startrek.website
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      3 days ago

      And combine that with all the private user data they have from the corp social medias and they have the very Big Brother no one wanted a government to ever have.

    • Warl0k3@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      “Maps are a strategic asset” isn’t exactly a new concept in warfare…

      Google maps is public info too (as are it’s many alternatives) - and there’s no country that’s nearly as comprehensively documented at street level than the US. Google maps is also super outdated outside the biggest cities, and the US can get much better quality intelligence via the NRO and just sending some guy in with a phone camera to take selfies the day before.

  • lechekaflan@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    I once read something like this in a novel: “The American military called it public relations, but the Soviets find them to be highly-convenient pre-packaged intelligence material.”

    That a country heavily reliant on technology can be so vulnerable to even the most primitive forms of warfare.

  • atrielienz@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    Military bases are often powered by renewables at least partly and they are making the shift away from relying on civilian infrastructure because it is so vulnerable. This article is more about reliance on American Tech Companies than it is about making the case that the data centers of these corps are pretty synonymous with military bases because of how they use civilian infrastructure and cost tax payers money (which I think was the point of the title but still am not sure after reading most of the article).

      • IcyToes@sh.itjust.works
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        3 hours ago

        Correction: Actual English.

        We British spell it centre too. I long hope America rename their language to American rather than the incorrect American English. It’s inaccurate and it’s own messed up thing.