Google Maps temporarily disables live traffic data in Ukraine

Big tech companies have said they are taking measures to protect users' security in the region

Google says it has disabled the Google Maps traffic layer and live information for the safety of local communities in Ukraine.

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Google has temporarily disabled some Google Maps tools for Ukraine which provide live information about traffic conditions and how busy different areas are.

The company confirmed it had taken the action of disabling the Google Maps traffic layer and live information for the safety of local communities in the country, after consulting with different sources including regional authorities.

Ukraine is facing attacks from Russian forces who invaded the country on Thursday. As missiles targeted Ukrainian cities, nearly 400,000 civilians, mainly women and children, have fled into neighbouring countries.

Russia has called its actions in Ukraine a “special operation".

Big tech companies including Google have said they are taking new measures to protect users' security in the region.

Online services and social media sites have been tapped by researchers trying to piece together activity surrounding the war.

A professor at California's Middlebury Institute of International Studies said Google maps helped him track a “traffic jam” that was actually Russian movement towards the border hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the attack.

Google said live traffic information remained available to drivers using its turn-by-turn navigation features.

Japan's Rakuten Group said it was removing advertising from its Viber messaging service in Ukraine and Russia in response to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, but said it will not block the service in Russia as requested by Kiev.

The move is to “ensure that no one will profit from activity on our app at this time” Rakuten said in a statement dated on Sunday, adding that it has made “Viber Out” calls to landlines and mobile phones in 34 countries free for users in the region.