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Google has disabled several maps tools in Ukraine that had been used to track the movements of troops and civilians during Russia’s invasion.
Google Maps’ live traffic feature, which flags traffic jams and other road conditions based on speed and location data from users’ phones, could be used by both the Russian and Ukrainian authorities to track each others’ movements, experts say.
In fact, researchers using the tool last week were able to spot Russian troops moving toward the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv — hours before the first bombs fell.
Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control professor Middlebury Institute of International Studies, wrote on Twitter that he had used the feature to “to see the first signs of the invasion using @googlemaps’s traffic layer.”
“I think big data companies often don’t want to face squarely how useful their data can be,” Lewis told Vice. “I mean, it’s cool when we do it, right? It’s maybe less cool if the Russians were able to do something similar to, you know, spotting an offensive from Ukrainians.”
The live traffic feature has also been used to track Ukrainian civilians fleeing the conflict, with screenshots posted on social media showing miles-long traffic jams full of refugees along the country’s borders with Poland.
At least 400,000 Ukranians have fled the Russian invasion for neighboring countries, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency.
A Google spokesperson confirmed to The Post that the company disabled the live traffic feature for the safety of Ukrainians after consulting with regional authorities.
Drivers who are using turn-by-turn navigation in Ukraine can still access traffic information, Google added.
The company also said that it had disabled a Google Maps feature in Ukraine that used location data to show the “busyness” of places like grocery stores and restaurants.
As the Russian military lays siege to large cities including Kharkiv and Kyiv and kills hundreds of civilians, the feature could have theoretically been used to target crowded areas.
Other Big Tech companies have also taken steps they say will help protect Ukrainians from Russia’s invasion.
Facebook said Monday that it had disabled about 40 fake accounts, groups and pages targeting people in Ukraine that had promoted fake news articles about the war.
Facebook parent Meta, Goggle-owned YouTube and Twitter have placed restrictions on Russian state media outlets including RT and Sputnik.
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