Google Street View

[Nicolas King]

What are your thoughts on Google Street view? Helpful tool, or invader of privacy? Or both?
I read this news article from the UK which made me chuckle a lot.
I think it's good that they've been made to blur out people's faces, but pretty funny that whatever algorithm they used for that also blurred out Colonel Sanders.
Personally, I don't really see the need for street view in Google Earth/Google Maps. I was able to find places just fine pre-street view and it hasn't changed anything for me now. It just seems like a giant, expensive, pointless, project by Google.

 

[Estrella Drage]

Well, you know Colonel Sanders needs his privacy too.

I think the idea of Google Street View is incredibly pointless. Plus it'd be a lovely tool for creepers. >.<

 

[Violet Bellamy]

Does that make me a creeper if I think it's kinda cool?

I think it's useful in some situations - say you're going to a party at someone's house, you can look it up on Google Street view so you don't have to strain your eyes looking for the house numbers. That would've been useful for that 18th...
Also, helps when you're looking to buy a house, you can check out house and the street before you even go to the house!

 

[Aeon Summers]

I agree with you there Camilla
I use it all the time to find my friends houses when I'm going to parties or sleepovers, etc.

 

[Marko Prince]

My views on this subject differ.

I think that Nick is right when he says " It just seems like a giant, expensive, pointless, project by Google." , is it needed? No not really. Though at the same time It is cool, and I do go on it sometimes.
Does it invade your privacy? Yes, I think it does , I don't think google should have a right to do what they have done.

 

[Nicolas King]

Does it invade your privacy? Yes, I think it does , I don't think google should have a right to do what they have done.

But it protects Colonel Sander's privacy.
Nobody can know who he is. h43r:

 

[Franz Mc Franklen]

I agree Estrella or whatever yer OOC name is.

The tool would be ideal to CREEPERS!

 

[Tony Alraur]

Reading the small article Nick linked to, it states that cars are included in photographs.

I haven't used the service, so I don't know the level of image quality (just tried it, but keep receiving 'No street view available'), but could this not be seen as something organised car crime could use?

How often are the images up-dated? Or was it just a one off?

Even so, people could find a house on the map; and then go for a better look.

I agree on the point made about checking an area if you plan to move. But then it won't give a true sense of the atmosphere, or the people.

I recall picking a friend up quite a while back, and I utilised Google Maps to locate her house. When I got there, I drove up and down; and all around the close to find it. It was the very first one.

This feature would have been ideal to use at that time, if there was an image available that is.

 

[Aroha Jennings]

Ack. I don't like google st view, coz it doesn't have my house on it! Its still an orchard. What is the point?