They can see they are on the way out and once white van man can use the web on the move, ta, ta, papers.

Three cheers for the village in Buckinghamshire that stopped the google cameras – at last common sense is starting to prevail.

I’m also delighted to report that – as Mike predicted for property and local sites – Zoopla has already integrated Street View into all our maps (sorry for shameless plug but on topic).

I don’t have any privacy issues with streetview. The same, enhanced experience could be achieved by simply walking down a street.

Tsk – you cynic you

I do believe there is a broader privacy discussion that is required here – so far my take is that (mainly male) geeks mainly love it and most non geeks do not like it, but still relatively few are aware of it.

I’m also concerned about the underlying economics – Google’s business model in many areas is to take things in the “commons” (where there is no clear pricing mechanism so they get it for near-free) and then resell it for money, leaving the economic externalities – the “dark side” costs – for others to pick up.

Privacy is a complicated issue with many subtleties, not least that our preferences change almost minute to minute. For example, I may want to remain anonymous most of the time, but then I go to a rally and want to stand up and be counted.

With Google search or GMail, you sacrifice your own privacy in order to use a valuable free service. With street view, those having their privacy invaded are not the same as those benefiting. This misalignment strains the issue.

I think Street View is a useful service, and that will be what prevails.

This will all have blown over in a week or so.

- Our innate, culturally European desire for privacy.
- Our innate, culturally European fear of crime / burglars / nosey neighbours.

It’s not in our culture it’s in our regulatory environment, specifically to make it more difficult to bust the aforementioned French politician.
I think that’s an important difference

I do though, understand the reaction it has received.

They launched the service at a time when personal privacy and freedoms, have and continue to be eroded, beyond anything we as a nation have experienced, (in modern times at least). It is not surprising within this context that there has been opposition to a further intrusion, however innocent.

It should be noted to those that repeatedly talk about CCTV, that the general public cannot access CCTV footage over the internet, where as StreetView is available to all.

A few points though.

I don’t think the desire for privacy or fear of crime are any greater in Europe than anywhere else.
And as for Streetview being useful for terrorists? I think that’s one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard. Especially as you point out yourself that anyone can walk down the street and take a picture. Ridiculous, press-induced paranoia.

I think your point was totally valid and including these things actually weakens your argument.

That’s what I call thorough investigation…

Typo (I assume) aside, it’s a worthwhile article. I think Streetview is awesome. And the ‘uproar’ is ironic given both the point about CCTV and the news this week that a quarter of government databases infringe our rights in some way.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7955205.stm

I have to think that Google is just taking the backlash for what is an increasing concern in the general populous about privacy in general.

Honestly, who cares about a couple of unblurred faces ? Ok, so someone *might* have been tracked down if their ex had seen them on streetview, but how is that any more likely than if they happened to drive past ? Come on…

Nanny state tbh.

Two things: what’s the relevance of the “right wing” UK press? I think you mean the reactionary tabloids who love to knock the internet. As for being right wing, it was the current govt/the EU which created the Information Commissioner and the nightmare of regulation which has come with him.

Secondly: “The BBC reports that a woman who had moved house to escape a violent partner was recognisable outside her new home on Street View.” – So what? If the violent partner knew which house to look at on SV, presumably he would be able to go to that house IN REAL LIFE as well. It is a complete red herring.