Residents challenge Google camera
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 7:28 am
Residents challenge Google camera
Angry residents of a Buckinghamshire town blocked the driver of a Google Street View car when he started taking photographs of their homes.
Police were called to Broughton, near Milton Keynes, after residents staged the protest accusing Google of invading their privacy and "facilitating crime".
"Google have taken a tremendous liberty," resident Paul Jacobs told the BBC.
Google said it observed UK law and only filmed from public areas.
The company also said it had consulted various police forces and provided the means for residents to have their home removed from the service.
The Street View mapping project allows for 360-degree views of roads and homes using footage taken by a camera mounted on a car.
Mr Jacobs said he saw the vehicle driving past his home on Wednesday and his first reaction was one of anger.
"I don't have a problem with Google wanting to promote villages. What I have a problem with is the invasion of privacy, taking pictures directly into the home," he said.
"Google have taken a tremendous liberty in the way they've gone about it.
"If they were simply going to view the street as a street scene rather than drive almost into people's drives and take pictures of the houses - I think that's a different issue."
Public property
Thames Valley Police said: "A squad car was sent to Broughton at 1020 BST on Wednesday to reports of a dispute between a crowd of people and a Google Street View contractor.
"A member of the public had called us to report that he, along with a number of others, were standing in the middle of the road preventing the car from moving forwards and taking photographs.
"They felt his presence was an intrusion of their privacy. When police arrived at the scene, the car had moved on."
In a statement Google said it provided "an easy way to request removal of imagery".
"We were careful to ensure that all images abide by UK law. Imagery is taken on public property and is no different from what any person can readily capture or see walking down the street.
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Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/e ... 980737.stm
Angry residents of a Buckinghamshire town blocked the driver of a Google Street View car when he started taking photographs of their homes.
Police were called to Broughton, near Milton Keynes, after residents staged the protest accusing Google of invading their privacy and "facilitating crime".
"Google have taken a tremendous liberty," resident Paul Jacobs told the BBC.
Google said it observed UK law and only filmed from public areas.
The company also said it had consulted various police forces and provided the means for residents to have their home removed from the service.
The Street View mapping project allows for 360-degree views of roads and homes using footage taken by a camera mounted on a car.
Mr Jacobs said he saw the vehicle driving past his home on Wednesday and his first reaction was one of anger.
"I don't have a problem with Google wanting to promote villages. What I have a problem with is the invasion of privacy, taking pictures directly into the home," he said.
"Google have taken a tremendous liberty in the way they've gone about it.
"If they were simply going to view the street as a street scene rather than drive almost into people's drives and take pictures of the houses - I think that's a different issue."
Public property
Thames Valley Police said: "A squad car was sent to Broughton at 1020 BST on Wednesday to reports of a dispute between a crowd of people and a Google Street View contractor.
"A member of the public had called us to report that he, along with a number of others, were standing in the middle of the road preventing the car from moving forwards and taking photographs.
"They felt his presence was an intrusion of their privacy. When police arrived at the scene, the car had moved on."
In a statement Google said it provided "an easy way to request removal of imagery".
"We were careful to ensure that all images abide by UK law. Imagery is taken on public property and is no different from what any person can readily capture or see walking down the street.
In most cases a selection of your comments will be published, displaying your name and location unless you state otherwise in the box below.
You can also send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 . If you have a large file you can upload here.
Read the terms and conditions
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/e ... 980737.stm
.. . .there are CCTV cameras on every corner in most cities and town in Britian. . and some of them talk back to you. . . so invasion of privacy 
) to the protective (If I had a nice car, I'd want to move it into the garage so that the entire Internet wouldn't know my address was likely to have particularly valuable things inside)