Google Earth was not strictly a private effort. Back in the early 2000s, Keyhole (then the company that owned the software that would become Google Earth after

Google Earth was not strictly a private effort. Back in the early 2000s, Keyhole (then the company that owned the software that would become Google Earth after the acquisition) was bankrolled by a venture capital firm run by the CIA called In-Q-Tel. I'm sure there are other relations Google Earth (in particular) has had with government as well.