Virtual globes are software representations of the Earth to which layers of political, economic, social and cultural databases can be added. They are used more and more on public television and, particularly, the Internet, since the appearance of Earth.Google.com. This can occur globally, although there are restrictions and alternatives at macro-regional, national and sub-national levels.

The main goal of the new GLOVIR project is to identify and theorize about the main actors and factors explaining the behaviour behind the multi-level global governance of the publishing in globalising media of political, economic, social and cultural databases using virtual globes. The GLOVIR research group has theoretical, empirical and, finally, and to a lesser extent, prescriptive aims.

• What are the main actors governing virtual globes? Are they public governments, or private actors, or a complex mixture that requires new concepts? At what level are virtual globes most used? What is the interaction between actors and levels?
• What are the main political, economic and socio-cultural factors governing virtual globes? Are the political factors more important?
• What lessons can be learnt by the academic world, governments and companies?