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by PatrickOBrien from Washington, DC

Last Post 44 days, 8 hours Ago


Privacy with Google Street View
Apr 14, 2008 | 4:46 PM
Category: News
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Google has been adding to their Street View feature of Google Maps for quite some time now, and it's created a lot of buzz---good and bad.  Some are even turning to lawsuits.

The feature offers 360-degree, street-level images of urban life so clear that passersby often can be identified.  The camera takes pictures every few feet of  48 different cities (St. Louis is not included yet) with more and more adding to the list.  You can find street views for Boston, Anchorage, Kansas City,  Las Vegas, Nashville, etc.  Click here for a complete list. 

Here's a snapshot from Boston:



Regarding the concerns of privacy, Stephen Chau, product manager for Google Maps says, "We take privacy concerns seriously. All these images are taken on public streets. It's exactly what you could see walking down the street."

Do you think this new technology is an invasion of privacy?
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Member Comments Total Comments: 35
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SikUvTheRite read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:02 PM

Personally, I wouldn't consider this an invasion of privacy, in as much as it is, in fact, taken from public places out in public, where we have always had to give up some of our privacy.

However, a much different story, and much more important to our privacy than Google Maps, is our government of the people's new policy towards opening up spy satellites to law enforcement authorities. Now, THAT is an invasion of privacy! They want to allow cops to view spy cameras high up in space to spy and search people on the ground. This is NOT public space, and they can literally "search" you from in space without your being aware and obviously without your approval.

THIS should be the privacy issue of today. Yet I'm sure there will always be those same folks who will have nothing against it if it "protects us from terrorists" or "fights drugs" or whatever phony excuse they'll come up with to condone this blatant violation of our right to be free from unreasonable search.

I think spying on me from space is unreasonable, don't you?

I think the $800 MILLION estimated cost of this spy program is unreasonable, too, I might add.

As long as Google stays out of my yard and off my property, I have no problem with them!
miamiman read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:11 PM

about 2 years ago on the miami-dade tax assessors office online you can see a view of a house from the top like it is a satalite photo. i seen a top view of roxanas house there.
mr_wildflower read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:15 PM

Well Patrick if I thought this was an invasion of privacy then the Web Cams that Fox 2 you have posted all over the city would be too....lol
imapayne read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:17 PM

In some respects it's good if there is illegal activities going on. But it is still an invasion of our privacy
jeanette read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:19 PM

That what I was thing it is like a web cam. Not looking in your window. I can get on aerial and almost look in my window's here. See everything around me
I will have to look again and see if it has the carport's now.
miamiman read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:23 PM

well i just got off the miami-dade assessors office and you can zoom onto any adress there. i can even see the built in pool in the back yard.
PatrickOBrien read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:43 PM

miamiman, at least with Google Maps, you only saw the top view...this gives you views of the cars in your back yard, the color of your front door, how bad your grass is...
bubba-right-wing read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:45 PM

I hope they find Osama now.
miamiman read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 5:59 PM

it does not show all of the streets yet.
TheShan2007 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 6:18 PM

Wow, I love it! I didn't know about this website. I like Google Earth too.

I don't think it's an invasion of privace if you're OUTSIDE. Duh. What do you EXPECT to happen? You're going to BE SEEN.

Some people should simply stay at home and close the blinds.
TheShan2007 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 6:19 PM

An invasion of WHAT privacy? A house is VISIBLE. Now, if they put their cameras IN your house without your consent, THAT would be an invasion of privacy.

Simply taking a picture of what IS ALREADY COMPLETELY VISIBLE BY ANYONE WITH EYES is not an invasion.
bill01 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 6:45 PM

The argument that Google Maps is not invasion but satellite photos are is ridiculous. Google maps ARE satellite photos. As for the street view, even though my house is visible from the street, usually everyone in the country isn't on my street to see it. I can see where this would make it easier for roving gangs of thieves to target specific areas. And for those who think that the big bad government is spying on each and every one of you from space, I can tell you without reservation that they aren't. I love how some people are so arrogant and think they are so important that the government has nothing better to do than track their every move. The people screaming the loudest would be the first to beg for these "opressors" to use whatever means available to help them if something bad happened.
Cuteypops read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 6:55 PM

No I don't. Actually I see it as pretty helpful information. It actually allows you to see the area in which you are going to. How they get an invasion of privacy is beyond me. It's not like there is a camera looking into their bedroom window. I'm surprised they don't have it in our area.
stephan read my blog view my photos
Apr 14, 2008 | 8:12 PM

I used it to look at houses that were repo listed. Using that to save driving to see what they generaly looked like and the suroundings. Then I looked up my house and found the photo to be over four years old. It showed a car in my driveway I sold four years ago.
Speedy62269 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 9:49 PM

POB: Great stuff (just not as good as The Wine Rack)! I remembered about 10 years ago a mapping company was requesting still pictures of cities and streets.

Invasion of privacy happens the moment you leave the perimeter of your residence. The good thing with the street view from google is it's "old" shots. Some cities now have cameras at all major intersections/downtown areas - all monitored from the police department.

I know that I am being watched a lot of the time. This motivates me to look good, "act" good, and especially be good. So, assume you are being watched all the time and you'll be fine.
downtowner read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 10:43 PM

If space is public, how is`it that it`s for sell. the goverment charge`s for air space,airline route`s,radio wave`s,with all kind`s of restriction and the right`s are not cheap.so it private less money is involve then it`s public .
downtowner read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 10:58 PM

and don`t kid your self I can pick up your cell phone , computor,anything electronic`s from the street when you are in your house. actuality from a couple block`s away and that`s with a hundred dollar receiver guess what they got.
Speedy62269 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 11:06 PM

downtowner: Picking up a cell phone nowadays is quite difficult unless "they" have your cell number. You are referring to the days of analog when a typical scanner/device could pick up conversations. The digital era has changed that and privacy is more prevalent.

Yeah, computer hacking is possible but not from the street unless one is using a wireless network. You can bust the password in seconds while actually searching for the broadcasted signal can take a few hours.

Anything electronic but it has to be wireless. When you have a hardwired device you cannot "hack" into it since there's not transmission. What you are referring to is the transmitter/receiver intercept.
bill01 read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 11:13 PM

Speedy,

You are partially correct. I might not be able to inject information into your system, but with most electronic devices I can get information out. every electronic device emits a signal and if you know what to look for you can intercept that and decipher whatever the person is saying or working on. It's not as easy as it used to be but it is still very possible.
downtowner read my blog
Apr 14, 2008 | 11:19 PM

In the late 50`s in a high crime area`s they would hook up transmiter`s from a store telephone`s to a canine patrol car to listen for break-in`s. one car could patrol a ten block area. don`t ask me what has happen and crime is still high `I, am just tell you what they had 50 year`s ago.
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PatrickOBrien

Blackberry and Twitter junkie. Former Senior Web Producer at myFOXstl.com but moved to Washington, DC to start a new chapter in my life. St. Louis is my hometown.

Member Since: 9/13/2006


 

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