Google’s Streetview department is not having an easy time mapping Japan.
The probems it’s encountering are of the privacy variety, which seems to be a huge concern about the service for more than a few folks. Google will be reshooting photographs of twelve cities in Japan following complaints that Google’s cameras were mounted so high on the Google Street Cars, that they were capturing shots that included over-the-fence views of people’s homes and other private properties.
Google’s answer to the problem? A fairly logical decision to lower the cameras by nearly half a meter (forty centimeters if you’re looking for specifics).
"We have lowered the height of the camera due to the unique characteristics of many Japanese roads; they tend to be narrow, without pavements and driveways, and houses are built close to the street," Google said in a statement.
Google Street View seems to make headlines no matter where the cars go. Back in April, UK residents in one small village formed a human chain and blocked the driver of a Google Street View, saying the service was "facilitating crime." The Google car had no choice but to turn around and leave.
This week, Greece banned Google from taking photographs citing privacy concerns. What are your feelings on Street View? Do you think a lot of the fuss people make is down to paranoia, or do you feel that Google genuinely doesn't make the effort to protect peoples' privacy when it comes to Google Street View? Leave your thoughts below!
I can't understand how this streetview thing isn't over yet.
I mean... it is preposterous having someone taking pictures of my properties without ANY form of permission!
Your approval is not required… If I want to drive by your house on a public road and take a picture, then I’m going to do just that.
All you ANTI-Street View people should stop taking pictures on Vacation as you may get a picture of someone’s house in there. … Then what?
I honestly don’t see what the big deal is; when they drive by my house I’m going smile and wave.
japanese cant ride a bike for ****
i have never even came close to doing the splits like this guy!!!!!!!!!!
Not entirely true even of people taking pictures of public spaces... head down to your local public school and start shooting pictures of the kids, see how long it takes to get arrested.
There are limits to most things and the debate here is more about where to draw the limit. Most of us think blurry google photo's of our homes is no big deal... but what if they stated driving around with high res imagers that could see through inadvertently open windows into bathrooms and bedrooms? Would that still be ok?
There SHOULD be a limit on the ability of a person to access the private information of someone else (including images of their private spaces)... I can't say I know exactly where that limit should BE, but I think dismissing it out of hand indicates a superficial understanding of the issues.