New Goog. Maps Feature Is Stalker Heaven!

[milowent]

OK, last week I saw this new video on youtube about google maps new "street view" feature -- its got well over 2 million views by now.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=91wuBqlny50

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it allows you, in 5 us cities, to get high quality 360 degree views of EVERY SINGLE SQUARE FOOT of streets. people are now trawling the database and finding the most incredible things. i mean it's really freaky. check out this these links to boingboing, which have lots of links from readers to crazy stuff.

www.boingboing.net/2007/06/03/google_street_view_w.html

www.boingboing.net/2007/05/30/google_maps_is_spyin.html

www.boingboing.net/2007/06/01/google_street_view_h.html

blog.stanford.edu/unofficial/2007/06/google_street_view_attacks_stu.html

blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2007/05/request_for_urb.html

i mean, look at this. this is the kind of stuff now available on google maps. its friggin' crazy!



post any other wacky links and stuff you find here!

ETA: And another:

[elixir]

I heard about this on the news, and while it great that we have the technology to actually do this, I don't think it means we necessarily have to.

This really invades people's privacy, and can become potentially dangerous. And I don't just mean for big things like global terrorism, but what about for people who are in witness protection or hiding from an abusive spouse or something like that, where privacy is extremely important.

I just really hate this idea, and what gets me is that they don't even need our permission (the citizens - the people whose lives they are capturing on film) to do this.

It's bad enough that we are being watched constantly by surveillance when we step out of our homes and into city streets, but this is taking 1984 to a whole new level.

I know they are planning on doing this in Sydney soon, and I will not be very happy when they do.

[milowent]

elixir said:

...and can become potentially dangerous. ... but what about for people who are in witness protection or hiding from an abusive spouse or something like that, where privacy is extremely important.

I agree (i hope no one thought i am all gung ho for this idea, Btw). You can see cars with full license plates in driveways everywhere. I'm sure we'll here about more crazy stuff soon.

I just really hate this idea, and what gets me is that they don't even need our permission (the citizens - the people whose lives they are capturing on film) to do this.

interestingly, there is a way to report images that you believe invade your privacy. i think the only way this could be ended wholesale however, would be through legislation in countries affected. in the U.S., there is likely a 1st amendment issue with any such legislation.

[elixir]

milowent said:

interestingly, there is a way to report images that you believe invade your privacy. i think the only way this could be ended wholesale however, would be through legislation in countries affected. in the U.S., there is likely a 1st amendment issue with any such legislation.

Yeah, I heard that you could report the images too. It is a start, but really - once it's been up there the damage could have already been done. It's kind of like, "I'll steal your belongings and if you ask for them back you can fill out a form or 2 or 3 or 4...and I might return them." In my opinion, they shouldn't have been taken in the first place!

I was already a bit put off by how detailed the google earth images are of Sydney. They took them on Australia Day this year, and you can zoom in and actually see people sun baking on Bondi Beach and at the Harbour! Would hate to have been topless or something on that day! lol! It's still not too bad as the images are tiny and fairly blurry, but with this new street view... I hate to even think!