Google Maps, Tabby Cats, Black Helicopters, and You

Two years ago Google Maps began peering into our back yards from space with its Satellite view feature. Now it's looking at the fronts of our houses with its new Street View thing. Street View has been live for only a few days, and people are already getting freaked out about its privacy implications.

Friday's New York Times tells us the story of Mary Kalin-Casey, an Oakland, Calif. resident whose cat appeared in one of Google's Street View shots. Here's Kalin-Casey's cat, Monty:

Here's what Kalin-Casey told the blog site BoingBoing Thursday:

"I'm all for mapping, but this feature literally gives me the shakes. I feel like I need to close all my curtains now."

The cat had no comment. Kalin-Casey even posted an actual link to the Google map page, which gives even more information about her. Jeez, is she running for president?

Anyway, Kalin-Casey is asking Google to take down the picture. Sure, that's gonna happen. Google says that its Street View shots were taken from public property and contain nothing that can't be seen by somebody just walking by on the sidewalk. Perfectly right.

But I don't think that it's Street View by itself that's getting people concerned about the privacy implications of Google Maps. It’s the combo of Satellite and Street View, and the feeling that Google's view is getting closer and closer to our personal space.

I can understand this, but let's not start seeing Black Helicopters yet. Call me when Google Maps launches its Bedroom View feature. For now, Google could head off any privacy-related backlash by simply announcing when and where it plans to photograph streets for the Street View service.

I took a long look down my street here in San Francisco with Street View, looking for something, anything, interesting. All I found was some guy standing on the sidewalk staring stupidly at the camera.


Source :http://blogs.pcworld.com