by T. Michael Testi (Blogcritics.org , PhotographyToday, ATAEE)
It appears that Google has gotten their noses in the mix again. Last month they launched "Street View", the new add-on to Google maps that, if available, will show you street views of the area that you are in.
The problem is that as they take these pictures, there are people in the photos as well as pictures into people’s homes and apartments. To give an example, is this a crime in progress? Or do you want to be photographed blowing your nose? Or maybe you just want to urinate on a sign.
According to Goggle representative Lars Rasmussen these are all taken in public areas. "So, these are all images that anyone could go out and take with a camera. We do take great care that if someone did feel their privacy was invaded, there is a way that they can easily tell us about it and we'll remove it right away.
"But all the pictures are taken in public areas where anyone could go [and] take a picture," said Rasmussen.
Rasmussen was asked if Google would blur part of an image of someone objected to it showing, for example, their front door.
He said: "Yes, but why would you want to?"
So what do you think? Should these be Photoshopped before released? Do you think that there should be some care to people’s privacy taken in to account? Or just damn the torpedo's and full sail ahead?
2 comments:
i actually think this is pretty hysterical. these people clearly have too much time on their hands.
that said, i think this kind of "free for all" with personal info on the internet is happening anyway, with or without google street view. the question is, when will the backlash come?? it definitely will at some point, when people are fed up with their identiies being stolen and the gov't wiretapping them...
more news on this here, in case you want to post it:
http://www.thenewsroom.com/details/361222/Science+and+Technology?c_id=jlt
This is a quick video of a couple AP guys discussing the privacy concerns:
http://thenewsroom.com/details/361222
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