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A recent article in the Stata Journal describes how to use Google Maps to Geocode data within Stata: Adam Ozimek and Daniel Miles, "Stata utilities for geocoding and generating travel time and travel distance information", The Stata Journal 11:1 (2011): 106-119

On page 110 we read this statement: "Data acquired using geocode are subject to Google’s terms of service, specified here: h_____ttp://code.google.com/apis/maps/terms.html."

There, in the terms of service, we read in sec. 10.1.1:

"(h) No Use of Content without a Google Map. You must not use or display the Content without a corresponding Google map, unless you are explicitly permitted to do so in the Maps APIs Documentation. In any event, you must not use or display the Content on or in conjunction with a non-Google map. For example, you must not use geocodes obtained through the Service in conjunction with a non-Google map. As another example, you must not display Street View imagery alongside a non-Google map, but you may display Street View imagery without a corresponding Google map because the Maps APIs Documentation explicitly permits you to do so."

On the Stata Blog, there is this conversation (h_____ttp://blog.stata.com/2011/03/21/graphs-maps-and-geocoding/): Q: "Aren't traveltime and geocode violating Google's API agreement since they do not display the results on a Google map?" A: "The authors of geocode and traveltime had already thought about this and researched the issue before writing their code and article. They do not believe there is a problem. In addition, a similar program exists for SAS, they talked to the author of that program, and all agreed there was no issue. The authors of geocode and traveltime provide only an interface to the API and state in their documentation that the end users of it must abide by Google's terms of use as required by Google."

So which is it? Would using these Stata commands violate the Google Maps terms of service?

The same question applies to this geocoding utility posted on RePeC (Research Papers in Economics): h_____ttps://ideas.repec.org/c/boc/bocode/s457650.html

Thank you.

Michael Makovi
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    The point seems simpler to me than you imply. The constraint is on what you do with the codes, not on obtaining them. That's a question for the user. Manifestly, Google makes these codes downloadable and the programs are not hacking their site. But as you have doubts on this, ask Google, not a public forum. That's not meant to be dismissive; as a good first approximation, no one here has legal expertise fitting them to advise formally and publicly on a legal issue. Disclaimer: This is a personal opinion only and not a statement made in any other role I play. – Nick Cox Feb 19 '15 at 09:14
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    On the #rstats side, _Epidemiology_ journal also offers [description of geocoding solution](http://journals.lww.com/epidem/Fulltext/2014/03000/A_No_Cost_Geocoding_Strategy_Using_R.28.aspx). Similarly, not much discussion on legal issues. – radek Feb 19 '15 at 10:23
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    Unfortunately, I cannot find any way to contact Google and ask them. – Michael Makovi Feb 19 '15 at 20:24

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Google documentation clearly states that using Geocoding result without a map is prohibited. "The Geocoding API may only be used in conjunction with a Google map; geocoding results without displaying them on a map is prohibited."

source: https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/geocoding/

Eloquent
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  • That doesn't make it illegal. Customer services agreements are in essence about declaring the rights of the provider (mostly, about protecting themselves from spurious claims) and the rights of the customer (in this kind of situation, very limited). – Nick Cox Mar 18 '15 at 13:16