Greece, Japan, protest Google Street View
p2pnet news view | Advertising:- Advertising giant Google is determined to increase its coverage, and one of its more recent ploys in this direction is use photographs of houses around the world in what it’s calling a Street View campaign.
Boogle thinks it can do whatever it wants, whenever it wants, but not everyone agrees and there’ve been worldwide protests by people who reckon if the company wants to publish pix of their houses, it has, at the very least, to ask first.
Nor is its coverage exact.
As p2pnet reported exclusively in March, Goggle Street View photographers managed to get Paul McCartney’s London house wrong.
Meanwhile, Canadians and Britishers are among those complaining and Gargle is now being forced to reshoot in Japan, “using lower camera angles after complaints about invasion of privacy,” says Reuters.
And it’s been ordered to halt in Greece where, according to the BBC, the country’s data protection agency has banned Gargoyle from expanding its Street View service pending “additional information”.
Stay tuned.
p2pnet – Google misnumbers Paul McCartney`s house, March 28, 2009
Canadians and Britishers – Google SnoopMobiles in Canada, April 7, 2009
Reuters – Google reshoots Japan views after privacy complaints, May 13, 2009
BBC – Greece puts brakes on Street View May 12, 2009
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May 13th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
If I were running Google, I’d shut down the entire maps division and replace it with a message saying “Google Maps has been discontinued due to rampant paranoia.”
May 13th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I don’t see what the problem is, anyone can drive down the street at any time and see your house. This just lets them do it from the comfort of their own home. At least when people are looking at pictures of your house online, they’re not physically sitting outside your house, or clogging up the streets. Argument could go both ways, but I think it’s a good service.
May 13th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
According to the news in Japan, Google has started re-filming the Tokyo area starting May 1st, with a camera that will be 50cm lower than the original camera.
It is interesting to note, that the first week of May is part of a long holiday (May 2,3,4,5 + weekends), thus many people are on vacation during this time, which cuts down on traffic as well as the number of people that the camera catches during the shoot (=less complaints from people caught trying to enter a love motel, or drunks revealing themselves on the side of the street
).
Right now there are several sites looking for people who have seen the new Google car cam, to report the locations and take photos.
How a lower angle camera will change anything is debatable, but if it can shut panicking people, to actually get something done, good.
But seriously, I can’t help but wonder why they don’t put more emphasis in getting better street photos of popular and famous places (for example in Paris, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral, In Japan, Tokyo Tower, and famous locations like Akihabara).
This would not only be beneficial to people who are planning to travel to that location, but also allow them to “pre-plan” their trip, and get a better idea on what to expect.
This, coupled with it’s historical merit, would be invaluable.
For example, the newest version of Google Earth allows the user to “go back in time” by showing older aerial photos. While this is a cool and nostalgic function (sorry I have a cultural Anthropology background) it can be very important in checking out a location before you try to build something on it (an old swamp or riverbed is a great giveaway). Also imagine being able to see your neighborhood in the future, as you remembered it.
The only question is, is how much data will Google be able to keep for future generations.
Just my two cents
May 14th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
What bugs me is someone is selling pictures of my house and I don’t even get a royalty. I put a lot of money and effort into that house and the unique arrangement of plants and colours constitute my artistic expression upon which I control a copyright. If you want to look at my house that is one thing but if you are going to take pictures and use them in your business to make money that is something else and I deserve a cut.
I’m losing something (privacy) and a company is gaining something (traffic, brand recognition, revenue) and I don’t think it is fair as things stand now.