I've never stumbled across a Chinese submarine, or any of sort of nuclear development in Iran, but I've spent my fair share of time on Google Earth. (I checked out my new neighborhood before I moved, tried out the new 3D streetview maps in downtown Chicago. That kind of thing.) It turns out people really are doing important stuff with Google Earth, and other satellite services available to the public. One program tracks the killing in Darfur online, using satellite photos. Not so long ago, only governments controlled spy satellites and could get images from space. Now, anyone can click an icon on their desktop and swoop down on anyplace from Baghdad to Springfield, MO. I may just kill time with it... how do you use Google Earth?
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When you use google earth streets view you can see people. There was some controversey over people being able to see individuals come out of strip clubs and such.
The NSA, if not the military, does control what Google Earth publishes. There's an NSA facility outside Selah, WA that has been removed from the imagery. It's rather seilly, since you can see it from the Freeway. Cryptome also hase pictures of it on its site.
My children, ages ten and six, use Google Earth as entertainment--they like to "fly" over different parts of the world and pretend that they are superheroes. We also like to look up important geographical features and historical sites (though I will admit to peeking at friends' houses from time to time).
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