Internet search services provider Google Inc is reportedly examining the impact new Chinese regulations could have on its Google Maps service. China's State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping recently announced new regulations that require firms providing online map and location services to apply for a license.
According to reports published in the official China Daily newspaper, the laws give China the right to close providers that fail to get a license. To be eligible for a license, service providers would need to keep map servers storing data within China and have no record of information leaks over the last three years. The mapping bureau has reportedly approved 18 domestic firms to provide online mapping services. Several foreign companies had applied for a license.
Google Maps is one of Google's most popular products. It enables users to search local maps and plot routes for free. Google products and services such as Google Groups, YouTube and Blogger are already blocked in China. The new regulations could pose a new hurdle for Google. Earlier in March, the company moved its China servers to Hong Kong after a diplomatic spat with Beijing over censorship.
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