14 DAY TRIAL // Following the recent release of Google Mapplets, a special function of Google Maps that allows you to add and enjoy all sorts of maps, numerous products powered by the company are becoming Maps-compatible. The first one is YouTube, the popular online video sharing service bought by Google in October 2006 for $1.65 billion. Using the new interoperability between the products, you're able to view an interactive map showing the locations of the YouTube uploaders. This way, you can find valuable information about certain countries and create statistics about the YouTube activity for specific areas.
The interoperability can be achieved in a matter of seconds by adding a YouTube mapplet to the Google Maps lists. In addition, you can contribute to the improvement of the function by using the 'Date and Map Options" option included in the upload process of new videos. If you want to test the new mapplet, you can find it here.
"Ever wondered what kinds of videos people in Timbuktu are uploading to YouTube? We've just launched a great new way to explore recently uploaded videos from around the world. A new YouTube Mapplet plugs into Google Maps and plots the videos as markers on the map," the YouTube team wrote today.
Because the function is able to reveal valuable information about the uploaders of the YouTube clips, several members are already raising privacy concerns as the mapplet can cause important trouble for many of them. Take as example a lawsuit which involves YouTube and an uploader of a clip who is accused for uploading pirated content on the page. If the uploader used the date and map options function, it can be extremely ease to find him. In the past, a YouTube uploader was brought to court after he published several pirated clips of a Fox creation.