Google maps offers a view of tons of locations around the world, but there are plenty of places off-limits.

A lot of times these restrictions have to do with privacy concerns, but most often it's due to government regulations and security concerns.

Google's view of the White House, for example, is altered. They made digital changes to the roof for security concerns.

The Shatt-Al Arab hotel in Basra, Iraq, was reportedly censorded after terrorists say they used aerial footage from Google Earth to plan their attacks.

FULL LIST: Things you're not allowed to see on Google Maps

The Ramstein Air Base in Germany is also altered because of security reasons, it's the headquarters of U.S. Air Forces in Europe.

And some entire cities are blurred out. Leeuwarden in the Netherlands is an important city to NATO, and Allied Forces of Northern Europe, and it's not viewabe on Google Maps.

But it happens on a smaller scale too. Homeowners in the city of North Oaks in Minnesota succesfully told Google to remove their street view images because of privacy concerns. Since then, many homeowners have been able to do the same.

HOW TO: Remove Objectionable Image From Google Street View
Open the image
Click on "Street View Help" at the top of the image
In the next box, click on "report inappropriate image"
Explain the reason of your complaint and describe the problem
Zoom in on the part of the picture you find objectionable
Submit your complaint


FULL LIST: Things you're not allowed to see on Google Maps