Lahore is in a state of chaos today, given the arrival of ex-PM Nawaz and his daughter who were found guilty in the Avenfield Apartments case.
The authorities have increased security throughout the city and even placed blockades to control angry protesters. The area surrounding Lahore Airport and its immediate vicinity are cordoned off. The police are also blocking access to Abdullah Gul interchange near Lahore Ring Road – that leads to the airport – and also tightened security on other roads in the area.
If you check Google Maps right now, you will be see red signs everywhere that are usually placed on blocked roads. Screenshots of the current situation of Google Maps are already circulating social networks. Here’s what they look like right now:
Fake Markings
At first glance, it looks like the entire metropolitan city has been blocked, with not even a single road leading out of it. However, in reality, that’s not really the case.
You see, for situations like this, Google Maps usually requires information from locals, so that they can report roadblocks and warn other users in the area to avoid certain places. Whenever somebody reports a roadblock at their particular location, the app automatically places one for others to see. So, as you might have already guessed, many Pakistanis have started spamming the service with fake blockade markings.
We have confirmation from sources within Lahore and also from people who live close to the “chaotic” areas seen on the app. Other than the areas close to the Nawaz Sharif rally and the airport, most roads are open with no traffic or blockades.
Not The First Time
This is not the first time that online services, especially from Google, have been abused by people here. Services like Adsense and Google Map Editor were banned after they were misused. So it’s about time we realize that we do have a responsibility in this regard as well. Some of these services are free and mainly use data input by locals.
Google has already restricted many services for Pakistani citizens – and it will surely block more if we continue to misuse them. Here’s to hoping better sense prevails amongst the digital citizens of Pakistan.
How road closures are reported on google maps ?
As mentioned in the article above:
“Google Maps usually requires information from locals, so that they can report roadblocks and warn other users in the area to avoid certain places. Whenever somebody reports a roadblock at their particular location, the app automatically places one for others to see.”
But where is the option to mark a road as blocked? Never came across any such thing, nor have I ever been promoted by Google to mark roadblocks even though I’m a Level 6 local guide.
It is available since long under the hood of right click as “report data problem”.
Same here
How can you say that these are fake blockade markings? Two wrongs don’t make a right.
“We have confirmation from sources within Lahore and also from people who live close to the “chaotic” areas seen on the app. Other than the areas close to the Nawaz Sharif rally and the airport, most roads are open with no traffic or blockades.”
6th para
These are fake, I just travelled a while ago through Canal road and the situation is unlike what is being reported by local guides.
I visited most of the places in Johar Town and surrounding which were marked as blocked, but none of them was blocked, even containers were not on sides of road.
idher aa k dekh leta bhai tu.. sab kuch open tha.. per gooogle pe sab kuch band tha.. fuck u patwari…
Wah reh insafian…ye bhi likh do mobile service band nahi hai…metro bhi chal rahi hai…careem/uber bhi available hai…foodpanda bhi chal rahi…speedo bus bhi chal rahi. Once upon a time ProPK was non-biased. Ab ye 500,500 rupay wale writer rakh liyai hain.
Bhai ye 500,500 walay jiyalay tab nuqsan krne pr aatay hain to kuch nahi dekhte! Logon ko to maza aata ha sheeshy tornay main! Naik wohi ha jisay moqa nai mila!
Mobile service band karna zaroori hai. Bomb blast ka aur aik planned attack ka khatra rehta hai. Baharhaal jo 20 se 25 lakh log nikle thay un mein se sab sahi salamat ghar chale gaye.
shifted Doctor hanif with wife in jhang from aziz fatima hospital , faisalabad
no one cares. weirdo
no one cares. weirdo
Since the mobile service is suspended, it could cause the servers to show congestion / blockade at particular areas.
No.
No.
I think its not that easy to put a blockade mark on Google maps.
Google confirms information from other users! Maybe more users answered as “blocked”.
This is style of pakistanis that we misuse everything.
so true
so true
Actually this feature by Google was made originally for Non Pakistanis because they are not liars. Who knew that when this service would reach in Pakistan, they would start doing that what is in their blood; only lies and hypocrisy.