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GOOGLE MAPS
Google Maps is a tool with which most internet users are familiar and find very helpful and often entertaining because of the Google Maps feature which lets you view detailed satellite imagery of almost anywhere in the world. I have never been to the pyramids of Egypt or to Mt. St. Helens in real life but I feel as if I have had a private helicopter tour after seeing them on Google Maps.
The detailed satellite images also raise privacy issues. But the even more dangerous tool available from Google is the Street View Function. Greece has recently declined to allow the function to be available for their country and even Britain, famous for its Orwellian web of constant surveillance, has expressed serious concerns over the use of Street View in England.
GOOGLE MAPS TRUCKS
What could be so bad about Street View? After all, the pictures are all taken from a public place where anyone who desires can walk up and legally stand. Google uses nifty cameras mounted on top of cars of all sorts and drives around taking pictures. These pictures are then stuck together so that any user can navigate as if they were in a 3-d world, getting close-ups of almost any feature of a neighborhood. It makes vanishing in a digital world even more difficult.
The first major concern might be a bit exaggerated by some but it is worth mentioning. The concern is that the cost of acquiring sensitive surveillance information is much cheaper with Street View. Previously, a burglar/identity thief/private investigator/you name it, would have to take the time to go to a neighborhood and actually expose themselves to witnesses and to the target of their surveillance. Lingering for any amount of time would certainly be suspicious enough to draw attention.
This attention was the risk, or price, which was required for engaging in that kind of surveillance society. But now, there is a wealth of information available from the comfort of home, reducing greatly the risk of being seen by witnesses and reported for appearing suspicious. Essentially, the unlucky old woman caught outside of her house at the time the camera drove by is now advertised as a potential target at any time of day. By using the similar tips to avoid a private investigator you can also avoid surveillance cameras.
The other concern is that this information gathered from using the street view function has been and will continue to be used to verify sensitive information by private investigators and others seeking verification of valuable information. A car can be verified to have been in the possession of a particular person if it is seen in the driveway of the owners house. Also, a person can be verified to have lived at a particular place if they are seen near their house. These are just two simple examples of what may be possible.
What can be done to protect privacy? Google is fairly responsible and is fairly responsive to requests from users to blur out their face and license plate number. If you find yourself exposed, in the Street View mode of Google maps there is a link on the bottom of the image labeled “Report a Problem.” From that point the prompts are straight forward and easy to navigate to report to Google the image you wish to have removed.
CONCLUSION ABOUT GOOGLE MAPS TRUCKS
I recommend looking at your home, work and any other places you commonly visit that you would prefer to keep private and make sure there is no sensitive information displayed to the world. This is of course inadequate to truly protect your privacy because your face and license plate number are not the only things that identify you. Your height, hair color, dress, the make and model of your car, all are identifying features that could potentially expose more of you than you want. But it is a start. You can learn more strategies for protecting your privacy by getting the book How To Vanish.
Google’s All Seeing EyeRELATED POSTS:
- Surveillance Society: Negative Aspects Of Government Data Mining
- The Man of a Thousand Faces and Video Surveillance Systems
- Avoid Nosy Video Surveillance Cameras
- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of Google Voice
- Fool Facial Recognition Technology
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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
If these street images by google are updated on a regular basis this could be a real problem. If updates are not done and all faces etc. were blurred, the problem is quite diminished, never the less, it is only ok in your back yard.
What is this, a site for criminals and spies? Who in the hell is this concerned about their privacy unless there’s something they’re trying hide.
Look! Its The Stig! Hi Stiggy!
That is awesome.
Honestly I think its a bit strange for everyone to get uppety about this street view thing. It is the street after all, where anyone can walk down freely. I don’t think its any worse. Go ahead, leave your drapes facing the road open. plain jane can see what your doing when she walks by and so can street view.
Same thing with people on the street who get their picture taken. unless someone makes a video like this, and the person happens to be in it, or their on a busybusy street, only somewhat more than the amount of people who saw them on the street will see them on street view anyhow. Its not like you get on street view and your picture is sent to every person on the planet and it pops up the second they turn on their compy.
Get over your privacy. No matter how much you think you have walking down the street in your invisible manbubble. The only privacy you really have is in the shower. ..well.. maybe. guess you never know with that one.