Google Changes Street View Policies

Although Google develops some great mapping tools (or at least buys the developers who do), there are too many possible security risks to talk about in a single news post, especially with their Street View application. Since launched in May, many have complained about the lack of privacy, considering you could zoom up to an innocent civilian walking out of a strip club or stalk kittens sitting in windows.

Despite the fact that only “dozens” of requests were received by Google for removal of ones-self being found on the service, they changed their policy back in May without anyone realizing it. Now, if you find yourself in Street View and want to opt-out, you can contact them and they will remove you (or at least block your face) without questions.

I have a hard time believing that such a low amount of requests were submitted, but I’m glad to see the policy change has been implimented. Though it would require a good amount of resources, I’d still be more comfortable with faces and other identifying factors being blurred out automatically, instead of waiting around for a removal request.

Source: Mashable