Google StreetView

[Laura]

people might think you're a bit of a weirdo but legally anything in public domain is fair game for taking pictures, hence Google have been able to do this. From a discussion in the pub this evening I understand the laws are you can't take pictures inside people's private property (leaning over their garden fence or through their window) and there are new anti-terrorism laws about taking pictures of police officers carrying out their duties.

Morally it may be wrong but as I understand you'd be perfectly ok to sit outside your local park snapping all the kiddies then publishing them as you would own the rights to them. I expect you may be in hot water with one or two other laws in that example mind.

[Jonathan]

With regards to invading other people's privacy, it's when you make an attempt to gain private information. If I have a fence around my garden you cannot put a cctv camera or take pictures into my garden becuase I have taken reasonable steps to make it a private area. You cant take pictures through windows in the same light - you dont have to cross a border either, this covers peeping toms using telescopes you see.

However if there is no attempt at making reasonable steps to ensure privacy (ie an open front garden) then you're pretty much fair game, standing naked in a full length front window and complaining people are looking (and in some cases, laughing) is no defence. This also covers planning permission etc, if a window overlooks a garden or similar, the plan can be objected to - worms can of.

Basically anywhere where you could be private is a no go area - In the business it's termed as "could you gain private information by taking a picture here...."

This is the same difference in the way you can take pictures of Buckingham Palace.

You're right on the kiddy thing too - there was a case where a parent was arrested for taking pictures of a football game with his kid playing in and everyone thought he was a peado and went nuts on him.

Then there was that bird Prince William was doinking, the press were just hounding her over and over - again she was in public but there had to be a verbal agreement to stop it in the end because it was bordering on harrassment - difference was she wasn't being harrassed by 1 person but a rolling group of many.

Personally, google earth is a lot more intrusive than this streetview thing - from google earth I can find out tonns more info about routes / security / vantage points and so on.

Technically it is also invading everyone's privacy to their back gardens.

Again - take my Buckingham Palace example.

Whilst google have done nothing wrong with streetview, I agree with what someone said on the radio about it today where they have just barged in and done it anyways.

Where it is cool to see landmarks and touristy things, I dont really see the point or the benefit to see other people's house.....

I can think of better things to do with my time I am sure.

I can see why people get upset over it - and the fact a LOT of people are suggests there is an issue that needs to be addressed becuase companys like this will continue to push the boundrys of privacy to their own gains.

Edited April 6, 2009 by USAndretti42
Killed the quote

[Bibs]

What are Google gaining from it though, is there any commercial worth to this technology? It's not like people wouldn't know what Google is if they have a computer so it's not driving more traffic to that area of their site and I don't think there are adverts on Maps anyway!

Oh, and it's not illegal to be a 'peeping tom', there are no laws which cover it so you can't be prosecuted for it.

[Paul C]

you'd be perfectly ok to sit outside your local park snapping all the kiddies.

Can you take the 'You'd' out of that and replace with 'somebody would' please.

[oneshot]

I have heard of Google Earth being used for commercial purposes. A guy at work enquired about solar water heating - gave the people his postcode - they immediately entered it into google earth, found his house and assessed whether he was suitable for solar water heating while he was still on the phone!

I guess people who do house repairs could use streetview to look for houses that need work doing (soffitts etc) and then they target the house for marketing.

[Bibs]

I mean, do Google make money from it, not it's commercial use to others. This must have cost Google a fair amount of $$$, what's their interest?

[Simon350S]

A bit of fun for us regular people of the world.

A pretty serious tool for those of the criminally minded.

I wonder if I could make some money following people around in their nice sports cars and selling the details of their addresses and their movemets on the internet?

How about we all post our postcodes and house numbers of where we all keep our cars and include in this information exactly when we are out at work and the house is empty.

Park your nice car at the end of your cul-de-sac under your carport and it was still invisible on google earth and only the paper boy, postman and milk man would have know it was there. Now its free for all the world to see!

Stories of these youth SCUM that have google pool parties piss me off as well.

Why don't we just leave all our doors and windows unlocked or even open, remove all security from our cars and share our wifes and children with the entire population of the world.

Hey whats yours is mine in the free world we live in!

[oneshot]

Google do make money out of it - Google Earth pro and Google Earth Enterprise are both commercial versions which provide far more stuff than the free version.

[arbell9]

Doesnt matter what technological era you are in, people will always nick stuff, damage stuff etc.

Its not the technology that drives it but the lack of a trillion brain cells in the right place of said scum bags.

Thus stuff about cctv, not filming the police, permission to hack your pc etc -those are what we should be worried about not a photo on google.

A lot of hot air about nothing, if i am a photographer i can snap you on the street and have it on every front page in the world nothing you can do about it so chill out everyone.

[Simon350S]

Kiss my ass, privicy invasion supporter scum!

I'm gonna start wearing a mask and make Lisa and the kids wear one to! and use no numberplates to help maintain my privicy!

p.s. having a party around the house soon, will post up my address so you can all find your way here!

[Jonathan]

so chill out everyone.

Personally from all the bits I know this is a slippery area - new things like this technoilogy come along which overtake the laws of the land (or test them) and when unchecked they can be the tip of the ice berg. Regardless of what anyone thinks we are sleep walking into an age of surviellance and monitoring and the laws and guidelines covering this are not developing at the same speed to stop or prevent things from getting worse.

The really funny thing is the Police have less basic powers to observe you than a company like Google do - regardless of what you're doing right or wrong and thats shocking.

As I say great for touristy areas - why it has to be of the average joe in the street and their home I have no idea, get out and enjoy the sunshine

Bibs - just incase you needed to know

Peeping toms are covered under 'Voyerism' section in the Sexual Offences Act.

Remember that BA employee that got done for having a CCTV camera in the ladies loo at heathrow - dirty basty.

[arbell9]

Simon says

PEEK-A-BOO!

[Simon350S]

If they ever come up here I'll shoot the camera off their van and report them for trespassing on private property!

Nosey buggers!

[Iconic Ride]

Attn: Kaylon

Planetary Studies Institute

8000 Quasar Place

New Lamda

Antares 5

Requisition request #7622461

Priority: Urgent

Shipping method request: entanglement, action at a distance, instantaneous.

Immediate need for bullet proof camera lenses for ongoing Earthling video survey.

Local inhabitants expressing extreme displeasure at observation methodology.

Potential insurrection possible. Early termination of study likely.

Awaiting receipt of requested material.

Threpzik

[Jussi]

That was amazing...I'm lucky for living here middle of the nowhere, no problem about street views

Anyway that's clever for some tourist or so.....but like you said, there are always people who has bad thoughts

[mangel]

Missed my street Ha Ha!!!

[Bibs]

^ True story!

And who is this...

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&sour...004828&z=18

[Kimbers]

How the hell did you find that????

Took me ages to find the places I know yet alone a Lotus in France!!! Talk about needle haystack!

[Jussi]

That's amazing.....So practically Bibs lives in GoogleMapStreetView....just "walking around"

I have to make confession, just "checked" it at work today

[Bibs]

I've done all of the UK, most of France and am just trawling through Italy looking for more Esprits.

[Iconic Ride]

Andrew? This is your mother speaking. It's time to turn the computer off and go to bed. No more staying up all night looking for supercars. Really now, mother knows best. You need go get some proper rest. Go to sleep now, or I'll have to take your computer away.

I swear, those communists at Google have turned us into a nation of insomaniacs!

Oh look! There's Mr Wilton's car parked in Mary's drive while James is away on business. Tisk tisk.

[Quicker]

timely ---

http://mashable.com/2009/03/24/privacy-gro...wn-street-view/

Privacy Group Wants To Shut Down Google Street ViewMarch 24th, 2009 | by Stan Schroeder24 Comments

Oh my, here we go again. Privacy International (PI) has filed a formal complaint about GoogleGoogle reviews

[rogerch]

Wait till the camera gets to Glasgow, it'll get sorted. "I see you Jimi"

[rogerch]

Well it didn't get that far, I just found this all the way over here in Australia!

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2009/04/05/1238833236815.html

You have to admire the decorum of the good people of Broughton, but their British after all.

[Iconic Ride]

The Broughton brouhaha even warranted an article in our local rag, Roger. Me thinks it's only a matter of time before their "British decorum" morphs into a pitchfork carrying torchlight parade! The peasantry has had its fill of corporate snoopery.