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Watchdog clears Google's street cameras
Google's controversial Street View service ? which will offer ground-level pictures of every UK street online ? can finally be launched in Britain, after a privacy watchdog said it had no complaints about the service.
Street View faced opposition from privacy advocates who argue that it infringes civil liberties.
Some attacked it as a "burglar's charter", allowing criminals to look for potential victims over the internet.
But the Information Commissioner's Office, which had been investigating complaints, said in a statement: "We are satisfied that Google is putting in place adequate safeguards to avoid any risk to the privacy or safety of individuals, including the blurring of vehicle registration marks and the faces of anyone included in Street View images. Although it is possible that in certain limited circumstances an image may allow identification of an individual, it is clear that Google are keen to capture images of streets and not individuals."
The commissioner's office said it was satisfied with Google's online reporting mechanism, which lets people concerned about their privacy ask to have their images removed from the system.
London-based Privacy International had written to Google demanding details of the technology the internet giant would use to ensure that identifying details would be blurred.
That data was not forthcoming, but the commissioner's office said the lengthy delay between the images being taken by Google's roaming photographic cars and publication meant that the chances of using the system to track people were very slim.
Street View has been available for several big US cities since last year, where it has generally proved less controversial than under the more restrictive privacy regimes in Europe. However, the US military complained about photographs of a base in Texas, and a Pittsburgh couple filed a lawsuit against Google alleging that Street View indulged in a "reckless invasion" of their privacy when it took photographs of their home from a street marked with a "private road" sign.
For some of those less concerned about the potential for invasions of privacy, Street View has achieved something like cult status.
Websites have sprung up to track sightings of the Google car ? a black saloon with a camera stuck to the roof ? as it drives around Britain taking photographs.
A number of sites have dedicated themselves to finding the oddest images from US streets. Spots have included giant pumpkins, topless women and drug deals taking place.
Google declined to comment on the ICO's announcement. It is thought that it will launch British Street View later this year.
(From the Guardian)
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I must say I'm not particularly a fan of this Google Street Map thing, in my opinion there are far too many criminals and perverts on the internet down-a-days and it's quite easy to get hold of someone's home address, especially if they own a domain name, and I really don't want some of the wierdo's which we encounter every day on the net knowing what colour curtains we have!
Do you consider it to be a bit over the line, too?
01-08-2008
Watchdog clears Google's street cameras 
