Did A Google Earth Mistake Cause A Couple's Brutal Murder?
Tumblr 101: Tips And Tricks To Get Started
Goodbye, privacy: The entire UK set to go on Google Street View tomorrow
The UK is already one of the most-monitored Western countries. It has a record number of security cameras on the streets and public transport stations (one camera for every 14 people!); its authorities are installing chips in garbage cans to monitor the amount of trash, and now Google is "helping out" by bringing Streetview to each and every street, effective tomorrow. 238,000 miles of public roads (lined with private residences, businesses and people) will be available online tomorrow.
On a brighter note, they used the Google Trike to capture images of some tourist attractions such as Stonehenge and Loch Ness. I really wish they would have kept it at that, though.
[EDIT: Many of the commenters feel I'm being unduly alarmist here. I wanted to clarify that this was not my intent. I get it that you like Street View, and that's cool, and it's definitely a useful tool. I can see how this development can also be a positive thing and why people like it -- you are hereby acknowledged, and I thank you for putting things into perspective.]
Comments
21
Subscribe to commentssodapopMar 10th 2010 6:44PM
Considering that Street View isn't moving images nor real-time I don't know if this is even a privacy issue - especially in light of Europe's other cameras. Does anyone know how often Google updates the images?
cdick133Mar 12th 2010 4:23PM
The picture of my house is at least 2-3 years old. It might be the original street view one, I don't remember how long we've had it.
I think this is the first time I've heard someone talk negatively of this street view, though.
sodapopMar 12th 2010 6:19PM
When Street View first came out in the USA there were a lot of people complaining too
richard.gaileyMar 10th 2010 6:44PM
Awesome news!
Now I know some people have issues with privacy etc which is fair, but I for one love this innovation. I'm talking about Street View by the way, not the ridiculous (real-time) spying that our useless and soon to be gone government has put in place due to weak leadership and not listening to the people that actually put them there (I voted Libs by the way).....must stop now before I go into a rant starting with The Digital Economy Bill....
GordonMar 10th 2010 7:27PM
All this hysteria over street view is ridiculous. You're worried a burglar will use it to scout out your house? You're aware he can just WALK PAST YOUR HOUSE right? It's not invisible to other people.
ProlornMar 10th 2010 7:17PM
Wait, so you know that law enforcement is already monitoring public spaces 24/7 by video, yet you're up in arms over allowing public citizens access to a set of still images of those same sorts of spaces? Still images of medium resolution that may well have many personal features already blurred out (faces, license plates, etc.)?
It's not a cumulative issue. Just like how leaving your window unlocked isn't going to significantly increase your risk of theft when your door is already open with a sign that says "rob me", turning on Street View doesn't simply add to your privacy exposure when that privacy is already limited.
Muffin_manMar 10th 2010 7:30PM
This is awesome! Oh and BTW stop trying to scaremonger. The tabloids do a pretty bad job at that and the only reason they succeed is because there is a lot of idiots.
Don't insult the intelligence of DS readers please. We already know about Street View. We know that it isn't a privacy issue at all. We know that faces and plates are blurred. We know that the idiots who are scared about privacy can request pictures of their houses taken down.
Hmmm someone's house at 123 Fake Street? Okay I'll look it up on Street View. Now let's say Street View doesn't cover 123 Fake Street, all I have to do is drive to that address.
Oh no! Google is making my address just as public as it used to be!
JoshMar 10th 2010 10:49PM
Finally. I want to see how my unis look like before I get there. It can really help with my choices.
mahMar 11th 2010 1:20AM
I'm disappointed Erez. As the other posters have pointed out, pictures of public spaces does not constitute any kind of invasion of privacy. One can have no expectation of privacy in public (or when being viewed from public property).
Erez ZukermanMar 11th 2010 2:22AM
Hey mah (and the rest of you guys making the same point),
I just want to make one thing clear: I am _not_ trying to scaremonger. I actually really hate journalists and media types who use ordinary happenings to spread fear, and that is totally not what I was trying to do here.
Personally, I do think Google's pervasive intrusion into our information is disconcerting. I think there _is_ something here to think about, but I was trying to keep it focused and not spread a wider air of fear -- I hate it when media does that, and it's one of the things I vowed not to do.
Anyways, mah and people, in an uncharacteristic move I'd like to say: point taken. It's actually important for me not to scare-monger.
mahMar 11th 2010 5:12AM
Fair enough. I'm also wary of Google's massive collection of personal data. Google is more than likely not collecting a dossier on me for overly nefarious purposes, but I'm with you on the disconcertion.
Specifically concerning the streetview, I think it's pretty dang cool to be able to browse through UK neighborhoods as if I was walking down the street from the comfort of my couch in Israel. It saves me the time and money of flying there whereby I could accomplish the same thing and no one would complain of privacy intrusions.
BrandscillMar 11th 2010 2:27AM
As this article already points out we're watched by 14 cameras per person. I say if we can have access to all these images what difference does it make. I love google streetview, it's clever useful and just plain smart.
serv180-edsMar 11th 2010 4:15AM
I think you misread the article.
The point wasn't about scaremongering, it was merely pointing out that we're the most watched nation in the world and now we have full street coverage of the UK as well, (albeit a static one).
Jeez, soon I wont be able to take a dump without some camera filming how long I'm on there and the size and weight of my deposit!!
AuzMar 11th 2010 6:48AM
The 14 people per camera number should be considered bogus. It comes from a survey of businesses in two streets in London in 2002 that was then scaled up as if the camera/population ratio was the same over the whole country.
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/society/factcheck+how+many+cctv+cameras/2291167
TranscontinentalMar 11th 2010 7:23AM
We have similar reactions in France, though more regarding camera monitoring than Google's Street View. Be it either I never got to understand the argument regarding privacy in this context. What the heck, you're filmed and so what? I mean, in this case why not get annoyed at anyone looking at you as well: "hey, you, stop looking at me!" -- What's the point? If you're outdoors you're in public, otherwise stay home or in a private area. Gosh!
PeterMar 11th 2010 9:50AM
"What the heck, you're filmed and so what? I mean, in this case why not get annoyed at anyone looking at you as well" - The difference is in one case it's a single person looking at you at a single point in time. When the moment is over and/or the other person has forgotten about it, it's gone. In the other case, it's everyone with a computer looking at you, preserved forever.
Just because I'm out in public doesn't mean I want a record of where I was and what I do preserved forever and distributed to the world.
DennisMar 11th 2010 8:59AM
It's a lot of europe thats on Street View now. Also that map is Europe itself not the UK. That's just one of many countries. You dont show a map of the US where everything gets an up date and tell a story about just Texas. That's just silly.
TranscontinentalMar 11th 2010 10:07AM
Peter said:
"Just because I'm out in public doesn't mean I want a record of where I was and what I do preserved forever and distributed to the world."
First thing is, unless you are a star, the only ones to follow you will be friends, relatives, we are not the center of the world!
Second thing is, as long as there is no link between a media and an identity, why care, unless you're naked?
Third thing is, people forget faces most of the time.
Fourth thing is, be neither shy nor paranoid :)
PeterMar 11th 2010 8:26PM
@Transcontinental - So clearly you're in the "If you've got nothing to hide, what are you worried about?" camp.
Privacy is not just about having something to hide. Perhaps I just don't want my whereabouts and actions displayed for the world. You never know how this information will be used in the future and by whom.
Sheila TombeMar 11th 2010 10:58AM
Nah -- I don't think you're being in the least alarmist. Street view is at once both useful and invasive. Where can one go in the UK to "get away from it all"? If we're all watching each other 24/7 (and I must admit that I have World webcam on my homepage so I can see what's going on in Kanagawa, Melbourne and Stockport) then there is no privacy left. I'm guessing that in the future there will be a distinct gap between web-cammed areas of the States and rural hinterland off the grid; the UK is small enough to ensure the most coverage.