Google London Street view may get shut down

2E0WHN · Mar 24, 2009

BBC news said:

A formal complaint about Google's Street View has been sent to the Information Commissioner (ICO).

Drawn up by privacy campaigners, it cites more than 200 reports from members of the public identifiable via the service.

Privacy International wants the ICO to look again at how Street View works.

"The ICO has repeatedly made clear that it believes that in Street View the necessary safeguards are in place to protect people's privacy," said Google.

Privacy International (PI) director Simon Davies said his organisation had filed the complaint given the "clear embarrassment and damage" Street View had caused to many Britons.

He said Street View fell short of the assurances given to the ICO that enabled the system to launch.

"We're asking for the system to be switched off while an investigation is completed," said Mr Davies.

"The Information Commissioner never grasped the gravity of how a benign piece of legislation could affect ordinary lives," he added.

In July 2008, the ICO gave permission for Street View to launch partly because of assurances Google gave about the way it would blur faces and registration plates.

Since Street View launched in the UK on 19 March, PI has been contacted by many people identifiable via the service.

Among them were a woman who had moved house to escape a violent partner but who was recognisable outside her new home on Street View.

Also complaining were two colleagues pictured in an apparently compromising position who suffered embarrassment when the image was circulated at their workplace.

The ICO said it had received the complaint from PI and would respond "shortly".

It added: "It is Google's responsibility to ensure all vehicle registration marks and faces are satisfactorily blurred.

"Individuals who feel that an image does identify them (and are unhappy with this) should contact Google direct to get the image removed," it added.

"Individuals who have raised concerns with Google about their image being included - and who do not think they have received a satisfactory response - can complain to the ICO."

"Data protection is a question of taking reasonable steps," said Nick Lockett, an IT lawyer with DL Legal.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7959362.stm
Click to expand...

It's only been running for a few weeks and already images have been removed. And now it is being said that it falls under the Data Protection laws and may need to be looked at again.

Moi · Mar 24, 2009

Only needs some software run over the images to fuzz out the faces.

cloudz · Mar 24, 2009

I'm on it!!

They caught me standing out front of where I work in East London.

axelb · Mar 24, 2009

is this you cloudhandz?

cloudz · Mar 24, 2009

axelb said: ↑

is this you cloudhandz?
Click to expand...

Err.. no, I work in Albert Square, on the market..

Log in or Sign up

Google London Street view may get shut down

2E0WHN Valued Member

Moi Warriors live forever x

cloudz Valued Member

axelb Master of Office Chair Fu

Attached Files:

wheres-wally.jpg

cloudz Valued Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

Google London Street view may get shut down

2E0WHN Valued Member

Moi Warriors live forever x

cloudz Valued Member

axelb Master of Office Chair Fu

Attached Files:

wheres-wally.jpg

cloudz Valued Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches