Syrian opposition seeks to wipe the Assad name off the map – via Google

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Among the first acts of victorious revolutionaries is to strip down signs bearing the names of the regimes they toppled.

In Syria, the opposition is not waiting for President Bashar al-Assad to fall.

Anti-government activists in recent weeks have used a Google crowd-sourcing program, Map Maker, to rename key streets, bridges and boulevards after their revolutionary heroes, according to opposition figures and the Syrian government. The idea, activists say, has been to expunge the vestiges of the Assad family’s 40-year-long rule and to commemorate protesters who have fallen over the course of an 11-month-old uprising.

“They have the right to be remembered by the Syrians,” said Rwadan Ziadeh, a representative of the Syrian National Council exile group. “They are making new history.”

On Google, names have changed over time as the maps have been updated with user proposals, which are approved by other users as well as Google editors. The names seen on Google Maps are sometimes different than those on Google Earth. The overall result, however, has been a patchwork of both Assad-era names and revolutionary names, sometimes side by side.

The campaign started a couple of months ago on Facebook, according to Rami Nakhle, another exile opposition figure, and it has quickly gained the Syrian government’s attention. On Monday, the country’s envoy to the United Nations, Bashar al-Jafaari, digressed from a speech before the General Assembly to accuse Google of participating in a foreign plot to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs and undermine its leader.

“What does Google have to do with the names of streets in small Syrian cities and villages?” Jafaari said, referring to changed street names in the restive towns of Homs and Idlib. “This is a flagrant violation of United Nations General Assembly, the resolution of the Arab League pertaining to the standardization of the geographic nomenclature.”

The renaming campaign hasn’t happened only online. On Syrian streets, members of the opposition have changed signs with their own hands.

(GOOGLE EARTH IMAGE from JANUARY PROVIDED BY ogleearth.com/Last month, this major Damascus highway was identified on Google Earth as being named after Hafez al-Assad, the father of Syria’s current president, and Ibrahim al-Kashosh, an icon of the current uprising. On Tuesday, Assad’s name was nowhere to be seen.)

Ziadeh said activists in his home town, Daraya, tore down the sign on a street named after President Assad’s older brother, Basel al-Assad, who died in a car accident in 1994. In its place, they erected a sign honoring Ghiyath Matar, a 24-year-old tailor whose signature gesture — handing out flowers to Syrian soldiers — has come to symbolize the opposition movement’s nonviolent beginnings.

Anti-government activists throughout the Middle East have effectively harnessed the power of the Internet, particularly social media, to fuel public support for their causes. Google, which employed Wael Ghonim, an early leader of the popular uprising that brought down Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, has emerged as a particularly high-profile symbol of the forces of tumult.

The Internet giant declined to make someone available to discuss its mapping practices. But spokeswoman Deanna Yick said Google has built its maps from “a wide range of authoritative sources, ranging from the public and commercial data providers, user contributions and imagery references.”

“Overall,” Yick said, “this provides a very comprehensive and up-to-date map, but maps are constantly changing along with the real world, so we’ll continue to review data and make changes as new information becomes available.”

The effort to exploit the Internet has in some ways been more critical in Syria, where the government has imposed a tighter media blackout, than in other countries that have undergone upheaval during the Arab Spring. Protesters have hacked government Web sites, smuggled cellphone images outside the country showing evidence of the government crackdown, and run live streams from towns including Homs, where the United Nations asserts that more than 300 people have been killed in the past two weeks.

Stefan Geens, author of the Ogle Earth blog, which tracks Google Maps, said the renaming of Syrian streets and other landmarks represents the latest front in efforts to use crowdsourcing to promote political views.

In 2008, he said, Tunisian activists using Google Earth posted links to a YouTube video on top of the view of the presidential palace in Tunis. The video featured former political prisoners describing torture they suffered under the government.

But Geens said Syria’s is the first uprising he knows of in which activists have used online mapping programs to rewrite history.

He compared a Google map of the town of Latakia with a crowdsourced map produced by OpenStreetMap. Both showed 8 March Avenue, named for the date of the 1963 military coup that brought the Baath Party to power and installed Hafez al-Assad, Bashar al-Assad’s father, as president. But the Google map also carried the date March 15, an apparent reference to the official birth of the 2010 popular uprising in Syria.

“It’s obvious this was crowdsourced. This is the risk of crowdsourcing: One could infiltrate and change names for political purposes,” Geens said. “I am absolutely convinced that this is not something intentional on Google’s part to subvert the authority of Assad.”

The Syrian government might not be convinced. The U.N. diplomatic protest came several weeks after Damas Post, a Syrian government Web site, noted that a major Damascus highway was identified on Google Earth as being named after both Hafez al-Assad and Ibrahim al-Kashosh, another icon of the current uprising.

On Tuesday morning, Assad’s name was nowhere to be seen.

Washington Post

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Comments

56 responses to “Syrian opposition seeks to wipe the Assad name off the map – via Google”

  1. Andrew clark Avatar
    Andrew clark

    This is my first time i visit here. I discovered a lot of interesting things within your blog especially its discussion.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar

      No stars here to dance with, however. 😉

      1. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT 5TH, DAB IS A SUPER STAR, LIBNAN1 IS A FAMOUS WRITER, PROPHET IS  THE HOLLYWOOD BAD BOY ALLWAYS IN TROUBLE WITH THE YALIBNAN CENSOR POLICE,LOL

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar

          Oh .. sorry Geo … I forgot those guys … hahahhahahhaa 🙂 
          Guess I haven’t been watching enough TV …

        2. 5thDrawer Avatar

          Oh .. sorry Geo … I forgot those guys … hahahhahahhaa 🙂 
          Guess I haven’t been watching enough TV …

        3. sorry 5th last but not least i forgot to mention 30969 dude with  prenant wife at home  while he is on international tour of hooker test drives,,,, no wonder we keep coming back to this place. never a dull comment.lol 

        4. 5thDrawer Avatar

          Ah yes Geo … and Gassan overloaded us today. People dancing all over the place. 🙂
           But he still didn’t get the red-running rivers and Red-Mediterranean story in yet. Sounds like we might get the sunburn just from going in the water this year.

        5. 5thDrawer Avatar

          Ah yes Geo … and Gassan overloaded us today. People dancing all over the place. 🙂
           But he still didn’t get the red-running rivers and Red-Mediterranean story in yet. Sounds like we might get the sunburn just from going in the water this year.

        6. Geo, I guess 5th does not watch OTV. I’m not a famous writer, I just appreciate the A man and praise him when I can. BTW 5th, there is a beauty broadcaster on OTV I very much enjoy watching her tell the truth. You might want to check her out.
          As for the others you mentioned, I’ll let them speak for themselves.

        7. Geo, I guess 5th does not watch OTV. I’m not a famous writer, I just appreciate the A man and praise him when I can. BTW 5th, there is a beauty broadcaster on OTV I very much enjoy watching her tell the truth. You might want to check her out.
          As for the others you mentioned, I’ll let them speak for themselves.

        8. libnan1, for what its worth my late father was a  big fan of aoun, 34 years a go i was a mini shamounist, one of my brothers was a gemayelist and another brother was a jw who never joined any militant group but crossed the green line in beirut to preach about gods kingdom as an umbrella of salvation to all people  , he was  not harmed by anyone who knew him in east or west beirut. i admired his footsteps as i lost and i lost all desire to support any political cause flag or  country  that would put a wall between me and any other sect or race because i support one group or another. 
          as  i said before i admire you and many others for your loyalty  but  i have no mission or support of anyone group or another as i dont believe that in a million years they will ever unite people as children of 1 god but will play favourites by means of conflicting alliances that serve their changing cause at that moment in history. i enjoy interacting with many on this site as a way to have some clean fun and reconnect with people who got transplanted from such a beautiful country sadly doomed and poisoned by battle of the forces tugging from all sides of the world depriving citizens from living a normal life. yistiflo lol

        9. What the hell man! How can you forget Leobetapar !!!!!!!!!

        10. What the hell man! How can you forget Leobetapar !!!!!!!!!

        11. dabshaleem Avatar

          yu speaked good mr 306900000 is no goood mr

        12. dabshaleem Avatar

          yu speaked good mr 306900000 is no goood mr

        13. dabshaleem Avatar

          leo is goood mr

        14. dabshaleem Avatar

          leo is goood mr

        15. 5thDrawer Avatar

          I’m happy Dab & Leo understand each other … but are there any translators out there? 🙂

        16. 5thDrawer Avatar

          I’m happy Dab & Leo understand each other … but are there any translators out there? 🙂

        17. prophettt Avatar

          Geo, Who am I not in trouble with lately?lol
          I’m in so much trouble that no one can be like me;  I even get in trouble for just being me.lol

        18. prophettt Avatar

          Geo, Who am I not in trouble with lately?lol
          I’m in so much trouble that no one can be like me;  I even get in trouble for just being me.lol

      2. Honestly when i think about it, through all the arguing on this site in the end we have slowly become friends. Exceptionally Dab and Leo are lost in the woods. But its funny the veterans here have been on this site for 2 years, we learned so much from each other. I wish our Lebanese society can be a bit more like this site.

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar

          OH ( whatever god) !  … THAT LONG ?? Sigh … 
          Well Beiruti, Geo and others with similarly bent minds … If WE couldn’t straighten them out in 2 years, we better give up. :-))))

        2. dabshaleem Avatar

          yu mr thinked lost in woods i use wood fore firplase yu lik salafites mr

        3. prophettt Avatar

          Beiruti, I agree with you that this site has made many of the seniors  closer as humans despite our disagreements and our various views . I ,for once, have learned so much from and about many people who I engage with,and my respect for them became even greater.
           I will echo a point our friend geometro have made many times; most of us have  been entrapped ,and poisoned by  our so called leaders and political parties as well as the cancerous sectarianism  which has been eating our society for years. I think that these exchanges should,and may have,help us learn more about each other as human so that we may understand our differences better. I truely enjoy the human connections we have  at this site,despite the many insults ,and name calling we have to deal with.
          I have never been affiliated with any political or sectarian Lebanese party,and never will.And I have never had loyalty to any political leader or politician,and never will. I have ,over the years ,been accused of being so many things; To name a few,starting with  communist, to Bathist,To Hizzbie,Atheist,and few others.Next time there  is a new Lebanese party who supports resistance against Israel, I will be accused of being a member of that party,lol I hope that we can always have a healthy debate,and keep learning from each other and about each other.

        4. who are you calling a senior prophet? see how easily you get yourself  in trouble mr!  get ready to add another t to your name cause you are  due to get banned  again lol

          i want to agree with you and beiruti and add that i am a believer that if you seek, you will find, an we have so much in common if we focus on the good with out allegiace to a leader or a party, imagine if all of sudden cars are no longer cars and they have to be divided into maronite cars, orthodox cars, suni cars and shiite cars,, why cant cars just  be cars lol , we have enough accidents already lol, now i have to worry about intentionaly being rear ended by dab  because my geo metro is a salifite lol.

      3. Honestly when i think about it, through all the arguing on this site in the end we have slowly become friends. Exceptionally Dab and Leo are lost in the woods. But its funny the veterans here have been on this site for 2 years, we learned so much from each other. I wish our Lebanese society can be a bit more like this site.

        1. 5thDrawer Avatar

          OH ( whatever god) !  … THAT LONG ?? Sigh … 
          Well Beiruti, Geo and others with similarly bent minds … If WE couldn’t straighten them out in 2 years, we better give up. :-))))

        2. dabshaleem Avatar

          yu mr thinked lost in woods i use wood fore firplase yu lik salafites mr

        3. who are you calling a senior prophet? see how easily you get yourself  in trouble mr!  get ready to add another t to your name cause you are  due to get banned  again lol

          i want to agree with you and beiruti and add that i am a believer that if you seek, you will find, an we have so much in common if we focus on the good with out allegiace to a leader or a party, imagine if all of sudden cars are no longer cars and they have to be divided into maronite cars, orthodox cars, suni cars and shiite cars,, why cant cars just  be cars lol , we have enough accidents already lol, now i have to worry about intentionaly being rear ended by dab  because my geo metro is a salifite lol.

    2. MeYosemite Avatar

      Is this an add for your web page?

    3. MeYosemite Avatar

      Is this an add for your web page?

  2. This is my first time i visit here. I discovered a lot of interesting things within your blog especially its discussion.

    1.  Avatar

      No stars here to dance with, however. 😉

      1. WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT 5TH, DAB IS A SUPER STAR, LIBNAN1 IS A FAMOUS WRITER, PROPHET IS  THE HOLLYWOOD BAD BOY ALLWAYS IN TROUBLE WITH THE YALIBNAN CENSOR POLICE,LOL

        1.  Avatar

          Oh .. sorry Geo … I forgot those guys … hahahhahahhaa 🙂 
          Guess I haven’t been watching enough TV …

        2. sorry 5th last but not least i forgot to mention 30969 dude with  prenant wife at home  while he is on international tour of hooker test drives,,,, no wonder we keep coming back to this place. never a dull comment.lol 

        3.  Avatar

          Ah yes Geo … and Gassan overloaded us today. People dancing all over the place. 🙂
           But he still didn’t get the red-running rivers and Red-Mediterranean story in yet. Sounds like we might get the sunburn just from going in the water this year.

        4.  Avatar

          Geo, I guess 5th does not watch OTV. I’m not a famous writer, I just appreciate the A man and praise him when I can. BTW 5th, there is a beauty broadcaster on OTV I very much enjoy watching her tell the truth. You might want to check her out.
          As for the others you mentioned, I’ll let them speak for themselves.

        5. libnan1, for what its worth my late father was a  big fan of aoun, 34 years a go i was a mini shamounist, one of my brothers was a gemayelist and another brother was a jw who never joined any militant group but crossed the green line in beirut to preach about gods kingdom as an umbrella of salvation to all people  , he was  not harmed by anyone who knew him in east or west beirut. i admired his footsteps as i lost and i lost all desire to support any political cause flag or  country  that would put a wall between me and any other sect or race because i support one group or another. 
          as  i said before i admire you and many others for your loyalty  but  i have no mission or support of anyone group or another as i dont believe that in a million years they will ever unite people as children of 1 god but will play favourites by means of conflicting alliances that serve their changing cause at that moment in history. i enjoy interacting with many on this site as a way to have some clean fun and reconnect with people who got transplanted from such a beautiful country sadly doomed and poisoned by battle of the forces tugging from all sides of the world depriving citizens from living a normal life. yistiflo lol

        6.  Avatar

          What the hell man! How can you forget Leobetapar !!!!!!!!!

        7.  Avatar

          yu speaked good mr 306900000 is no goood mr

        8.  Avatar

          leo is goood mr

        9.  Avatar

          I’m happy Dab & Leo understand each other … but are there any translators out there? 🙂

        10.  Avatar

          Geo, Who am I not in trouble with lately?lol
          I’m in so much trouble that no one can be like me;  I even get in trouble for just being me.lol

      2.  Avatar

        Honestly when i think about it, through all the arguing on this site in the end we have slowly become friends. Exceptionally Dab and Leo are lost in the woods. But its funny the veterans here have been on this site for 2 years, we learned so much from each other. I wish our Lebanese society can be a bit more like this site.

        1.  Avatar

          OH ( whatever god) !  … THAT LONG ?? Sigh … 
          Well Geo … If WE couldn’t straighten them out in 2 years, we better give up. :-))))

        2.  Avatar

          yu mr thinked lost in woods i use wood fore firplase yu lik salafites mr

        3.  Avatar

          Beiruti, I agree with you that this site has made many of the seniors  closer as humans despite our disagreements and our various views . I ,for once, have learned so much from and about many people who I engage with,and my respect for them became even greater.
           I will echo a point our friend geometro have made many times; most of us have  been entrapped ,and poisoned by  our so called leaders and political parties as well as the cancerous sectarianism  which has been eating our society for years. I think that these exchanges should,and may have,help us learn more about each other as human so that we may understand our differences better. I truely enjoy the human connections we have  at this site,despite the few insults  we have to  endour.I have never been affiliated with any political or sectarian Lebanese party,and never will.And I have never had loyalty to any political leader or politician,and never will. I have ,over the years ,been accused of being so many things; To name a few,starting with  communist, to Bathist,To Hizzbie,Atheist,and few others.Next time there  is a new Lebanese party who supports resistance against Israel, I will be accused of being a member of that party,lol I hope that we can always have a healthy debate,and keep learning from each other and about each other.

        4. who are you calling a senior prophet? see how easily you get yourself  in trouble mr!  get ready to add another t to your name cause you are  due to get banned  again lol

          i want to agree with you and beiruti and add that i am a believer that if you seek, you will find, an we have so much in common if we focus on the good with out allegiace to a leader or a party, imagine if all of sudden cars are no longer cars and they have to be divided into maronite cars, orthodox cars, suni cars and shiite cars,, why cant cars just  be cars lol , we have enough accidents already lol, now i have to worry about intentionaly being rear ended by dab  because my geo metro is a salifite lol.

    2.  Avatar

      Is this an add for your web page?

  3. 5thDrawer Avatar

    Well, that’s great. Postmen seem to have enough problems these days. This silliness will only bollox the whole system.

    1. dabshaleem Avatar

      yu system mr no silliness heres 

  4. 5thDrawer Avatar

    Well, that’s great. Postmen seem to have enough problems these days. This silliness will only bollox the whole system.

  5.  Avatar

    Well, that’s great. Postmen seem to have enough problems these days. This silliness will only bollox the whole system.

    1.  Avatar

      yu system mr no silliness heres 

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