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Not in my back yard Google: the Street View backlash
After a series of high profile stories in the media portraying Google as an evil privacy-infringing web behemoth, now the public backlash begins in earnest. Yes, Broughton village near Milton Keynes has decided it would rather not have itself splashed all over Google Maps' new Street View tool.
A police car was called to the scene as angry villagers blocked the main road, preventing the Google car, with its 360 degree mounted camera, from proceeding any further on its hateful, privacy-infringing way.
"A member of the public had called us to report that he, along with a number of others, were standing in the middle of the road preventing the car from moving forwards and taking photographs," Thames Valley police is quoted by the BBC as saying. "They felt his presence was an intrusion of their privacy."
Despite Google's protestations that it is abiding by UK privacy laws and only takes pictures in public places, those curtain-twitching village folk obviously don't like the idea that they are being spied on.
The irony of all ironies, of course, is that Broughton is now receiving exposure on an unprecedented scale from all corners of the media. They'll probably be wishing they just left that Google van to its own devices now.
i like pie
and google must like pie
cause they own
and pie is tasty
so you pie haters leave google and pie alone
o and street view is pretty tight
peace dawg
Posted by tjizzle | June 5, 2009 6:15 PM
The comment from someone that "not everyone is computer savvy, not everyone has a computer" just proves houw idiotic these people who are against Google are! If you don't have a computer how on earth will it affect you in the slightest if your street etc is on street view. And the notion that burglars will be "casing" places with a view to robbing them. How far up their own backsides are people? When did street view have some hidden ability to see through walls and note the contents of houses? Lighten up for pity's sake and enjoy what you are getting FREE.
Posted by Patsy | April 19, 2009 10:17 AM
One more comment specifically for Mr Martin Brown.
I am going to be fairly presumptuous I'm afraid. I assume, due to the concern about your car on the driveway, that you do not drive a Metro or Robin Regal. I will furter assume that you drive a reasonably nice car, one worth stealing at any rate. Also, since you have this nice car I will also assume you have a fairly nice house - maybe in the suburbs or some other nice area as it has a driveway. Now, your local robber may choose to go to a rough area to grab a car, or he may already know about that nice area with all the driveways and cars. Quite possibly he may know all this without researching the internet. After all, nice cars have been going missing for years before street view turned up.
And as for chavs using it as a virtual holiday for their 'offspring'. Aside from the frankly ridiculous notion that people spend their summer holidays in front of the computer, virtually driving around Wales, what is wrong with taking a look at other parts of the country that would cost a mint in fuel to get to?
Lastly, I too sometimes purchase items from Ebay, and, gasp! Tesco online. Maybe I should quit my professional job to maintain the Chav cliche for you?
Posted by KMac | April 8, 2009 11:39 AM
I can't understand this backlash - especially some of the paranoid arguments against it. I see some complaints boil down to 'They might work out where I live and get me'. Sorry to swear, but Christ! If every one of millions of homes in Britain is photographed, what makes you so worried all the robbers and terrorists are going to make a beeline for your home in Arse End, Nowhereville?
This fear that thieves can use it as a tool is nothing short of pathetic either. Have you looked at street view? What exactly is it on there that someone can't pop over and see in real life? Little speech bubbles over your car with potential earnings on the black market? In a country so watched that there is even a scheme to mount cameras on the lollipops of crossing wardens, street view - a snapshot, not a live link - doesn't worry me in the slightest.
Posted by KMac | April 8, 2009 11:19 AM
it's a national security risk and a national violation of personal privacy. It's a disgrace that this company is being allowed to do this.
Posted by Anonymous | April 4, 2009 6:07 PM
They should have just left google alone because they brought MORE attention to themselves and they didn't want attention in the first place.
Posted by Taylor Wagner | April 3, 2009 6:27 PM
I think you should leave google alone and leave them to their job. Google isn't an evil company, they just want to show the world a new feature called street view. LEAVE GOOGLE ALONE! LEAVE IT ALONE!
Posted by Seth Piantek | April 3, 2009 6:21 PM
i think that you should just leave the google earth to do there job. you just made more atention for yourself
Posted by eavn | April 3, 2009 6:11 PM
Worried about sights like these I guess:
http://streetviewgallery.corank.com
Posted by Mapper99 | April 3, 2009 5:49 PM
I live in a tiny hidden away hamlet. Even people in the local town tend not to know we exist - and most of us kind of like it like that. Plus if there is someone you are avoiding and they have a rough idea of where you live - they might just strike lucky if your car is parked outside when the camera rolls by. Number plates are not the only identifier.
Google's defence is that they are just getting views available to anyone walking past. Well that's a bit simplistic. Having such a search facility available in the comfort of your home is a tad different. Plus I'm amazed by their other defence - that people can have pics removed. Not everyone is computer savvy. Not everyone has a computer. Is Google being deliberately stupid?
Posted by chrissy | April 3, 2009 5:36 PM
these people are thick as bricks, move with the times.... google street is the best thing since sliced bread
Posted by Jean | April 3, 2009 5:28 PM
It's funny to see how people get upset by a simple picture of their house, while they are not bothered by the pervasive surveillace actuated with every possible means by police and other organizations.
I think that if people really care of their privacy there are better point to start to say no than this one.
Posted by Mark | April 3, 2009 5:26 PM
Good for them. Why Google is intent on showing detailed images of everyones house, driveway and garage is beyond me.
Google succeeds in achieving at least 2 things:
1. Thieves and scum will be overjoyed, as they can now assess from a distance which house to break into and plan their escape route
2. Couch potatoes and chavs can now stay indoors and let their offspring have a 'virtual tour' of Britain rather than getting off their backsides and having a drive around, especially as they probably already do most of their shopping on EBay and Tesco.
Get lost Google, I dont want you on my Close either.
Posted by Martin Bown | April 3, 2009 4:50 PM
"hateful" ?
Ridiculous. This is a great tool for everyday people... I use it all the time for all sorts of work-a-day tasks that require some visual knowledge of a public area that we are all allowed to visit everyday anyway.
Get over yourselves - Luddite, flat-earth cave people with the sun revolving around you - shining clean clear light on your self absorbed stupidity.
Posted by PulSamsara | April 3, 2009 4:49 PM
People can be so stupid. There`s a picture of the missus standing on our doorstep looking puzzled. We though it was great.
Posted by dervxerox | April 3, 2009 4:46 PM
After reading this story there's only one thing I have to say:
I'm with the villagers!
Posted by e.k. | April 3, 2009 4:31 PM
Grow up people!!!
I say google posts all the images of the people blocking the car!
See how that pleases them!
Posted by Bobby | April 3, 2009 4:17 PM
Google street view has served a wonderful purpose for me as I look for a new house. I am able to look up an address and check out not only the house, but the street as well.
If the people of Broughton really don't like Google, I suggest they put their money where their mouth is--that is, never use any of the wonderful Google services. I'm willing to bet that the vast majority of them "Google" multiple times a day.
Google has come out with a huge number of innovative services that are free to anyone in the world. You can't beat that price.
Posted by Kay-Barrington, IL | April 3, 2009 4:03 PM