You won't believe the thongs you see

Prev

• 
• 

Next

View gallery

We are used to being spied on by CCTV cameras. But how would you feel if Google was in charge of UK surveillance?

It hasn’t happened yet but in the US the world’s favourite website is under attack over invasion of privacy, due to its new service: Google Street View. The service is an extension of Google Maps and was launched after the company sent cam vans to photograph nearly every street in five US cities, including New York and San Francisco.

Its intention was to build on its widely credited Google Maps and Google Earth sites but to allow surfers to see locations around the world from a street view. It’s an impressive service with 360-degree panoramic images. At the click of an arrow you can look behind you or turn at a crossroads.

Although the photos aren’t real time, Google is now having to fend off the critics as some of the images have proved too close for comfort.

This image from Street View got bloggers wondering whether the man was a burglar

The first sign of controversy emerged when a tech head in New Zealand complained. He spotted what he thought was an intrusive picture of a woman who was exposing her thong when leaning into her van.

Then there was the man coming out of a brothel, and a San Francisco lawyer who demanded Google remove a picture of him smoking in the street.

The most recent sighting, described on Google Sightseeing (a website on everything related to Google Maps), was an apparent street fight in a San Francisco suburb. A man is seen taking a swing at another then chasing him down the street.

One victim, San Fran-based Mary Kalin-Casey, complained after her cat was snapped at her window: “The Google Maps zoom goes into my living room. I’m all for mapping but this gives me the shakes. I feel I need to close my curtains.”

Italian website Paginegialle offers a similar service, but without the high-resolution images used by Google

The reaction around the world is similar: “Smile, You’re on Google’s Candid Camera” and “Keep Your Curtains Closed or Google Can Peek” are some headline examples.

A spokesperson for Google refused to confirm that a European version is on its way but said: “Google takes privacy issues very seriously.” So are we likely to see a British version of Street View? Probably, if Google has anything to do with it.

Related links:

Google Maps

Google Sightseeing

Paginegialle (Italy)