Google Street View: too nosy by far for this Kingswood resident
By skater3 | Thursday, March 11, 2010, 17:01
From today, Google's Street View imaging service covers more than 95 per cent of Britain's roads - and I for one think it's really intrusive.
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Regent Street in Kingswood as seen on Google's Street View
Google say they have taken steps to preserve anonymity and number plates and faces are blurred faces.
But when I keyed in my address in Kingswood I was quite shocked how close I could zoom in using the 360-degree tool - I don't have curtains or blinds and I could make out furniture in one of the bedrooms quite clearly. You certainly couldn't see that level of detail from just walking down the street.
I'm seriously thinking of asking Google to remove it, like Sir Paul McCartney has. Criminals could, and I am sure are, exploiting it.
Inappropriate material can also be reported, although a number of images, including fights and people in allegedly compromising situations, have already been published on the site.
Find Street View at maps.google.co.uk - drag the little orange man onto any street of your choice.
What do you think? Is this an invasion of privacy? And has anyone in Kingswood been caught on camera doing something they shouldn't? Let us know.
Comments
Face and number plate blurring is done automatically by some clever software, but its not fool proof. If anything details are not blurred, you can contact Google and they will sort it quite quickly
By kwoodlad at 17:16 on 11/03/10
ReportCertainly the number plate on my car and those of my neighbours has not been blurred.
Interestingly one neighbour has two cars on the drive. One plate has been blurred the other not. Go figure!
By tonio2009 at 17:13 on 11/03/10
ReportI think it is voyeuristic. But thinking about it, removing my house might make potential burglars suspicious!
By skater3 at 16:24 on 11/03/10
ReportI could easily walk down your street, look at your car license plate, or your face, or look into your living room as I walk past, so whats the difference? At least on my PC some of your information is blurred. Basically what I am saying is, I won't see anything on my PC screen that I couldn't see if I just walked down your street anyway, so what's the problem?
Plus, the chances that someone will actually go on to Google Earth to look into your house is very remote.
By kwoodlad at 14:57 on 11/03/10
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