Last month, some wag edited Google Maps with a picture of the Android operating system’s mascot robot urinating on an Apple logo (above). The image, which was surreptitiously inserted in the map of Pakistan, was created using the Map Maker tool, which is a Google product for crowdsourcing map information and has been vital in making Google Maps the all-encompassing geography tool it is today.

Google was not amused. To the extent that it’s temporarily closed down Map Maker altogether. So if you were planning to add the new area of interest in Mtubatuba or the recently constructed road in Pofadder, you’ll have to wait while Google undertakes a “manual review process” of edits.

Google said that it was improving its spam detection system last month but this appears to have failed to contain the hacks as detailed by a TechCrunch report on the sudden halt to editing on Map Maker. Google’s Pavithra Kanakarajan referenced the most recent incident which is likely to be the peeing Android mascot as the reason for the shut-down in an announcement to Mappers.

“The most recent incident was particularly troubling and unfortunate – a strong user in our community chose to go and create a large scale prank on the Map. As a consequence, we suspended auto-approval and user moderation across the globe, till we figured out ways to add more intelligent mechanisms to prevent such incidents.”

Kanakarajan adds that the ever increasing backlog created by the decision to switch off automated moderation as well as moderation by users means that they cannot review the edits in good time. The shutdown will be implemented worldwide. It’s safe to say that it takes one hack to spoil all of Maps.

[Source – TechCrunch]