Google to Change Rio Map After Slum Complaints

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Google to Change Rio Map After Slum Complaints

Flickr / Robert Blackie

Google has agreed to modify the labeling of its Rio de Janeiro map after city officials and residents complained that it gave a skewed perception of the city’s social geography by making shantytowns too prominent.

Tens of thousands of Brazilians make their homes in the slums of Rio, the country’s second-largest city. —ARK

BBC:

Google has agreed to amend its map of Rio de Janeiro, after city officials said it gave too much prominence to favelas, Brazilian media report.

Favelas, sprawling shanty towns which are home to tens of thousands of people, are a defining feature of Rio.

But the Globo newspaper said their labelling on the map and the absence of wealthier districts and tourist sites gave a bad impression of the city.

Google told Globo it would change the way the information was displayed.

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By NZDoug, April 26, 2011 at 9:36 pm Link to this comment

As an ex Carioca (citizen of Rio), I feel its important for tourists to know where the
favelas are in case they need to score so weed or blow.

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By kerryrose, April 26, 2011 at 3:55 pm Link to this comment

Interesting. Rather than solve poverty let’s take it off the maps and pretend it doesn’t exist at all. It must make everyone feel alot better to know there is not poverty on the maps.

Illusion and Denial.

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By TDoff, April 26, 2011 at 2:37 pm Link to this comment

If Google puts more emphasis on the wealthy and tourist sections of Rio, and shows street-level views of piles of naked bodies partying, looking like block after block of a drunken, stoned, monster-psychedelic-polysexual game of Twister, that will really improve Rio’s image, insofar as attracting visitors to Carnival.

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