Google Maps Street View Photographs English Woman 43 Times
Is Street View A Violation Of Privacy?
The “Street View” feature of Google’s popular online maps service has raised some interesting questions when it comes to issues of privacy. While most Americans seem perfectly contented to have their homes, businesses, cars, and even themselves photographically mapped out in Google’s all-encompassing “mapplication,” residents of other countries, notably the UK, are less anxious to join the Google Maps party.
In fact, there has been something of an outcry in some British towns where increased burglary rates are being blamed on Google’s Street View. Many residents believe that by incorporating these photos to digital applications like Google Maps, the progress of technology has made it easier for burglars to plan out which homes to target, and how best to break in.
Some, like 28-year-old Tory councilor Edward Butler-Ellis have even staged protests, insisting that Google ask permission to publish photos of private property. Also behind the cause is 76-year-old retired builder John Neale, who has questioned not only the ethicality of Google’s actions, but also the need for a service like Street View in residential areas. “I think it’s an invasion of privacy,” said Neale. “These photos are looking over your fences and walls – it’s an intrusion and I’m not sure it’s a necessity.”
But some UK residents seem less concerned with Google’s popular mapplication. By publishing their methodically-taken photos to digital, Google has made one ordinary woman famous (sort of). Wendy Southgate of Suffolk was photographed by Google a whopping 43 times in one day while walking her dog Trixie. Southgate’s husband Terry noticed the photos while browsing the couple’s neighborhood using Street View. Apparently the car taking the photographs for the Street View service followed the same route as Wendy and Trixie, who were understandably a bit wary of the vehicle crawling along beside them.
“I didn’t know what it was doing, said Southgate. “It was just driving round very, very slowly.” But once the Southgates discovered Wendy’s candid photo shoot on Google Maps, their concern was replaced with amusement, and all was well.
Tags: Google Maps, photos to digital