Using Google Earth - Permission?
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Can a company utilise Google Earth imagery? Just wondering if anyone can shed any light on if it is OK to use google earth images (Not SV? It is, in 90% of cases, simply painting the satellite image onto terrain to give a more realistic effect. Is this a no go? Or is it acceptable if you provide attribution to Google?
Advice will be much appreciated.
Thanks.
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Hi Lee,
As with any Google Product, it is very difficult to tell. The TOS 2.b says:
2. Restrictions on Use. Unless you have received prior written authorization from Google (or, as applicable, from the provider of particular Content), you must not:
[...]
(b) copy, translate, modify, or make derivative works of the Content or any part thereof;
Now if I am not allowed to copy the content, why is there a "Save image" option in the menu? Or maybe the above term does not relate to that but the software of the additional content itself? -
Indeed, Gai, It's a tricky one:
I have come across the following sentences:
@unknownuser said:
All uses of Google Maps and Google Earth and Content MUST provide attribution to Google and our suppliers.
Especially interesting/confusing is the fair use policy ...
@unknownuser said:
Fair use: Fair use is a concept under copyright law in the United States that, generally speaking, permits you to use a copyrighted work in certain ways without obtaining a license from the copyright holder. There are a variety of factors that affect whether or not your use of Content would be considered a fair use, including the purpose and character of your use, the nature of the copyrighted work, the amount of the copyrighted material used, and the effect of your use upon the potential market for the copyrighted work. For example, there are differences between use in a for-fee service and use in a work of scholarship, or the use of a single map screenshot and the use of detailed map images for an entire country. ...
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Well, in my reading it means then that using a single shot of the imagery is considered fair use while if you rip the whole imagery off, it is not fair. Good that they provided this example.
Don't think about it just use it.
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I think this all just applies to big corporations, not individuals. Anyway, who wants to use Google imagery anyway in SU? The images always come out in black and white- not even nice b&w. There is also a corporate version of Google Earth too, for companies that need big GIS-type applications. All that money you pay is probably for the licensing.
Tom.
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If you go to File > Save > Save image in GE, you can save the image - in screen resolution with the free version and high resolution (only wherever available of course) in GE Pro. Then just reload the imported B&W image in SU and you have a colour version.
It's about 5 seconds altogether. -
@gaieus said:
If you go to File > Save > Save image in GE, you can save the image - in screen resolution with the free version and high resolution (only wherever available of course) in GE Pro. Then just reload the imported B&W image in SU and you have a colour version.
It's about 5 seconds altogether.Indeed that's what we do. If modeling large green areas or terrain, you can sometimes get a nice effect (nicer than some materials/textures anyway).
I'll forget I asked this question anyway and just carry on as before!
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