Valleywag: street view

Pamphleteers at Google promise no privacy without representation

Jackson West — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:00:00 PDT

A few of the queen's subjects across the pond have taken issue with colonial incursions by Street View spies from Google. Privacy International will whinge to the United Kingdom's Information Commissioner if they don't get a prompt response from the Mountain View rebels about the company's privacy practices — all the activists have gotten so far is cheek:

We've spoken to Google in the past about this and received a snide response telling us to look more closely at their blogs.

God save the queen from getting shot walking her corgis around Westminster! To show just how committed the revolutionaries are to privacy, VP of search products Marissa Mayer replaced a mention of "Google" on the homepage with "Privacy" and a link to the company's policy declaration. The noted populist also underscored her sacrifice by pointing out the ascetic homepage's lack of corrupting excess. Put that in your tea and sip it, limeys!

Google Street View goes to Paris -- vive la France!

Nicholas Carlson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:20:00 PDT

Google has expanded its Street View feature, which shows roadside photos taken from vehicles driven by underpaid workers, to include Paris, just in time for us to celebrate the independence we wouldn't have if some French guy named Charles Gravier wasn't still sore about getting slapped around by the English during the Seven Years War.

"You're gonna need a warrant for that search, officer. Or a web browser."

Jackson West — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:00:00 PDT

A Google Street View driver ran afoul of the Presidio's park police at this popular view spot overlooking the Golden Gate — plenty more pictures where that came from. Can you suggest a better headline? Do so in the comments. The best one will become the new headline. Friday's winner: "My arched right eyebrow? That means that I am pheeling phrisky.." by actionhero11. (Photo by Damian Spain)

Street View finally coming to Seattle

Jackson West — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:00:00 PDT

The Google Street View car was Spotted in Microsoft Country last week after launching in many smaller markets around the country first. Apparently the drivers, rather than use some fancy, newfangled Internet doohickey, simply burn the data captured by the rooftop camera array onto a CD and mail it back to Mountain View. The fact that Portland, Oregon and Juneau, Alaska were added to the list of Street View cities before Seattle inspired an April Fools article in local publication Naked Loon quoting a fictional Google spokesmonkey as saying the addition of Seattle was "extremely unlikely, save for some kind of highly localized disaster centered somewhere in Redmond."

My question is whether or not the car will be passing through the enclaves of wealth on the east side of Lake Washington like Mercer Island and Medina, where Microsoft chairman Bill Gates has his four-story underground bunker. Still, the homes of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Clearwire founder Craig McCaw are all within Seattle city limits, so happy Street View hunting! (Photos by Jed Rosenzweig)

Watch Google Street View cars on YouTube to know when to hide dogs, horses and drug transactions

Nicholas Carlson — Tue, 27 May 2008 09:20:00 PDT

By now, we know what Google Street View cars look like. They're Prius-esque economy cars with pole-mounted cameras attached to the roof. But the evidence suggests that until you've seen one in action, you can't be sure you'd recognize a Google Street View car in time to hide your dog while it does its duty, cover your breasts, or disguise a drug transaction. So study up on the YouTube videos of Google Street View cars in action that are embedded below. Because so far the only privacies protected by Google belong to Google VP Marissa Mayer and a horse, of course.

Google: Organizing the world's crap

Jackson West — Mon, 26 May 2008 16:00:00 PDT

A golden retriever takes a break from a walk along Lincoln Avenue in San Diego, California as its owner watches a Google Street View van drive by and capture the moment. Couldn't Google have blurred the poor dog's face with it's advanced animal-privacy protection software? Suggest a caption in the comments, and the best will become the new headline. Friday's winner: ballmer, for "MILFbook!" (Via Faildogs)

EU warns Google to respect privacy laws with Street View

Jackson West — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:40:00 PDT

After reports of Google Street View vehicle sightings on the continent, an EU spokesperson reminded Google to respect local privacy laws. "Taking pictures on a street isn't in itself a problem but taking pictures anywhere can be." Maybe Google's advanced horse-recognition technology will mollify concerns? [CIO]

Google blurs Street View faces, including a horse's

Nicholas Carlson — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:00:00 PDT

Google published updated Street View photographs for Manhattan this week. The changes include sharper images, an ability to look upward at the island's skyscrapers and, in an effort to satisfy nervous -nelly privacy advocates, blurred faces. Including one belonging to a publicity-shy relative of Mr. Ed, starring in his latest off-Broadway role.

Italians mistake Google Street View car for prowling Gestapo

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 12 May 2008 15:00:00 PDT

A former neo-Facist, Gianni Alemanno, is the new mayor of Rome. He got the job promising to bulldoze homeless encampments, deport foreign criminals and install surveillance cameras, all in an effort to be tough of crime. So it isn't surprising to read reports that when Google's black Street View car, with its 360-degree camera mounted on top, came rolling down Viale Trastevere in Rome, citizens on the street immediately fled as though it were a horde of brick-wielding blackshirts chanting Me ne frego!

Google Street View catches kid crashing bike

Jackson West — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:40:00 PDT

Google's Street View trucks don't stop for anyone, or anything. The proof? An unsuspecting Cleveland resident is caught in an embarrassing tumble on a bicycle by Google's all-seeing eye. Doesn't seem like the driver bothered to stop and help, which is in keeping with the hyperefficiency demanded by their overlords in Mountain View. In the future, all our fails will belong to Google.

Marissa Mayer blames pesky humans for Street View privacy problems

Jackson West — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 06:00:00 PDT

In a perfect world, humans would be encased in tubes, their body heat powering massive datacenters and their minds chained into a virtual reality that involves clicking on lots of text ads online. That's according to Marissa Mayer, who blames "flaws of the real world and human error" for Google Street View's many invasions of privacy. The remarks came in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald as Google prepares to release it's creepy-but-useful technology down under. But don't worry, they're working on an alogrithm to fix the problem — and if it's anything like the algorithms used to detect copyright infringement on YouTube, we'll be living in the Matrix before it's done. That is, if we aren't already.(Photo by Mark Levin)

Google Street View rolls into your driveway

Jordan Golson — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:20:00 PDT

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.They haven't filed a lawsuit yet, like their neighbors the Borings, but the McKees' privacy was seemingly violated by a Google Street View car that drove up their driveway, snapping pictures all the way. Janet and George McKee live in the only home on Goldenbrook Lane, a gravel path that leads directly to their driveway — where the property line is. The Google car drove up Goldenbrook and continued all the way up their driveway to the front of the McKee's three-car garage and basketball hoop. Whoops. The Smoking Gun found and contacted the McKees, who said they found the pictures "creepy." Google claims "it takes images from public streets and only shows photos of locations that are in full view". Well, most of the time. See the full collection of images after the jump. Worst position in Google's legal department right now: Google Maps counsel.

The image associated with this post is best viewed using a browser.

Couple sues Google over Street View pics of their house

Jordan Golson — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:40:00 PDT

This is the view that Aaron and Christine Boring don't want you to see. The couple — who live at 1567 Oakridge Lane, Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA 15237, USA, according to their court filing — are suing Google over the company's "Street View" feature, which takes road-level pictures of neighborhoods for their mapping service. Among the complaints, the Borings — their actual name — accuse Google of an "intentional and/or grossly reckless invasion" of their privacy. More pics after the jump.

You see, their street — Oakridge Lane, Pittsburgh, PA, 15237 — is "clearly marked" by a "Private Road" sign. The Borings bought their home for a "considerable sum of money" — $163,000 — and a "major component" of that decision was a desire for privacy. They're also upset that their "private information was made known to the public."

The couple wants more than $25,000 and Google to remove the pics from Street View. That might happen, but these pictures of the Boring's home at 1567 Oakridge Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 will be searchable on Google for all time.

Google Street View rival exposes Marissa Mayer's posh pad

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:40:00 PDT

Even after a recent update, Google Street View's little yellow man wouldn't venture down Google VP Marissa Mayer's expensive alley. But MapJack's "Jack" mascot knows such privacy is an illusion. The rival to Google's 3D mapping service happily goes down Marissa Mayer's residential street. Below, see the street San Francisco cupcake delivery boys know so well.

Google updates Street View in San Francisco, leaves Marissa Mayer's pad off the grid

Nicholas Carlson — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 09:40:00 PDT

We thought maybe Google barred its little yellow Street View man from Marissa Mayer's road by accident. But, as the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again." Google Earth Blog reports that Google has updated its Street View feature with new maps throughout flyover country, as well as enhancements in the Bay Area. But did the camera trucks visit Mayer's little corner of Stevenson Street? See for yourself, below.

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10 strangest sights in Google Street View

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 14:00:01 PDT

The Times of London collected "10 bizarre sights in Google Street View," but they didn't bother to show the pictures —all they did was link to them. Silly newspaper. See below for "Borat peeking out of a window in San Jose, California," "Someone apparently climbing over a fence in San Francisco" and the rest. My favorite is at the end: video of the Google Street View car going through a McDonald's drive-thru.

Marissa Mayer gets a stoplight, and a room without Street View

Owen Thomas — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 08:00:37 PST

A reminder: Marissa Mayer lives on the 38th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco, and you don't. With that address comes an unusual perk: Her own personal stoplight at Third and Stevenson. Mayer and the other residents of the concierge conclave have arranged to pay the city $165,000 for a traffic light at the dead-end street which leads to the hotel garage. (Remember that as you sit on a 9X Muni bus, waiting for the light to change.) Perhaps the light will make it easier for Google Maps, which Mayer oversees, to send a driver down Stevenson. Mayer has defended Google's Street View feature against charges of invading people's privacy — but Google's camera-cars have yet to venture onto her street. After the jump, minutes from the city meeting (PDF) accepting Mayer's gift:

Another place Google won't take you

Evelyn Nussenbaum — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 16:40:20 PST

The Pentagon will not allow Google Earth to show street level views of U.S. military bases, according to the AP saying it could aid terrorists. But Google is not above a bit of censorship itself. Just try and get a close look at the company's new San Francisco offices on Google Maps.

Google Street View won't show Google's new San Francisco digs

Nicholas Carlson — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 14:20:38 PST

1,200 Googlers moved into their new office at 345 Spear Street San Francisco this week. We thought we'd use Google Maps Street View to show you what the place looks like, but the little yellow man won't go there. How embarrassing for him. Fortunately, Curbed SF will. Check out what $20 million can buy in four photos, below.

Sergey stymied: Prius doesn't work for Google Street View

Owen Thomas — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 13:20:35 PST

In Europe, Google's on a massive hiring binge for the Street View feature of Google Maps, where camera-equipped vehicles snap photos of streetscapes. It's bringing on 300 drivers for the Switzerland-based effort. But the project has been held up by the whim of a founder. Sergey Brin, we hear, is insisting that the project use hybrid Priuses, rather than the staid Saturn Astra it used in Australia, shown here, or the Chevrolet Cobalt Googlers drive in the U.S. Brin believes Toyota's gas-sipping Priuses are better for Google's image. Just one problem.

Priuses may be better for Google's corporate image, but not the images it hopes to snap for Street View. It's proved unfeasible to mount the bulky Street View cameras on a Prius. No word on whether Brin has been persuaded to compromise, or if his engineers have somehow found a solution. For now, it seems Google's hiring hundreds of drivers with nothing for them to drive.

(Photo by sebr)

And you thought Google Street View was creepy before

Nicholas Carlson — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 12:20:08 PST

In this video, Google Street View gets even more invasive. Call it improving geolocated search. Boo!

Google Street View rolls out in Boston and other places that don't matter

Jordan Golson — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 11:46:38 PST

Google has introduced its spy-on-your-neighbors Street View service in more cities. Now unsuspecting patrons can be spotted entering strip clubs in Dallas, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Minneapolis, St. Paul, Detroit, Valleywagger Tim Faulkner's hometown of Providence and my hometown of Boston. I've been waiting for Boston to be featured in Street View since it was introduced earlier this year. It's not particularly useful, other than saying "that's my house!" But, it's fun regardless. I do have one other complaint about Google Maps though.

We had a fairly large construction project in Boston that you might have heard of: The Big Dig. It involved taking 9 miles of elevated highway and putting it underground, plus a few new underwater tunnels and the widest suspension bridge in the world. The main parts were finished a few years ago and the entire project will be done eventually — or so they say. Unfortunately for us Bostonians, Google's satellite imagery of the project hasn't been updated in at least four years.

On the map below, you can see the suspension bridge without any cars or road markings on it, and an ugly bridge just to the right of it which has since been torn down. The road maps are correct if you go into road view, but we have OLD satellite data. Just northwest of the bridge you can see where the old sat shots and the new meet. Forget the street shots, Google: Upgrade our satellite photos, now! This service that you provide free of charge isn't worth what I paid for it!

Avoid this Google Street View car

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 15:01:22 PST

As Google prepares to add Australian cities to its Street View feature, Seb Ruiz has done us all a favor, publishing pictures of what a Google Street View car looks like. The vehicle is equipped with cameras to photograph streetscapes for Google Maps users. Now, if you see this car coming and would prefer not to be frozen in time at your present location — say an adult bookstore, or anywhere on the planet while carrying a Kindle — you'll have the chance to dive behind the nearest parked car. Here's the picture you'll want to memorize.

(Photo by sebr)

Google Street View to blur Canadians

wagger1 — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 06:00:05 PDT

Oh, Canada. With the loonie matching the value of the dollar, a bunch of our northern neighbors are crowing. Yes, yes. Wake us when the Canadian football field shrinks to a normal size, too. Anyway, the Sydney Morning Herald says that Google is considering meeting Canadian legal concerns over its Street View map feature by blurring people's faces and vehicle license plates. In the U.S., Google will only blur your face if you ask. Canadian strip-club owner Robert Katzman ">complained to the Wall Street Journal that the stronger loonie has his clientele heading over the border to Detroit's bars. Maybe Google's cross-border Street View policies offer new incentive to stay home, you hosers.

Google Street View now removes faces, if you ask nicely

Mary Jane Irwin — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 08:51:04 PDT

Even when you're outdoors and offline, it's impossible to escape Internet-based privacy invasion, thanks to Google Maps' new Street View feature. Google's roving cameras, though meant simply to capture streetscapes for the convenience of direction-seekers, have lensed all kinds of tomfoolery. Although Google has always removed identifiable faces or license plates upon request, if you can substantiate your identity — a slight catch-22 for the chap apparently caught breaking and entering — the company now says it will remove any face, license plate, or other personal detail it's notified about, without requiring proof of identity. Still, Google won't be proactively deleting faces, as privacy advocates suggest. It's like YouTube's copyright-infringement policy: if no one notices, it's not a problem.