Last night as I drove to Sainsburys near The Hub in Milton Keynes I spotted a black Vauxhall Astra with what looked like a big black chimney sticking out of the roof .... is this Vauxhall's coal powered answer to alternative fuels? No .. this is Google Street View. http://maps.google.com/help/maps/streetview/
It seems as though Google is now capturing Milton Keynes, there have been reports over the last few weeks of local residents claiming that Google are trying to take pictures of the inside of their homes .... See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/technology/2009/04/the_battle_of_broughton_1.html
Personally I have no problem with Street View and think it is improving upon information we already have access to. I have read reports that people feel this is an invasion of their privacy, Google are taking pictures of areas that are free to the public to access meaning anybody can drive down a street and take pictures. Perhaps these residents should challenge every 'non local' that enters their street too?
OK .... so perhaps Street View makes it easier for anyone that is up to no good to access images without visiting a particular area .... Whatever did they do before Street View? ;) ... oh wait they probably took a walk or a drive up and down your street taking pictures with their camera ... they probably used a map or a GPS device to locate your street. Perhaps all those opposed to Street View should also contact the map makers that provide data for GPS devices and request their streets to be removed? I'm sure that will be useful when you are running late for a meeting and relying on GPS to assist you! ;) .... If your house is for sale somebody could go to the estate agents website and view pictures of the inside of your home :O which you willingly provided ... !
Street view has many legitimate uses ... perhaps Google have overlooked certain areas on how to ensure that images do not reveal any sensitive information about individuals captured in images. Overall this is something we should be excited about .... think how much better your Sat Nav would be if it could show you in a photo exactly where you need to be instead of getting you roughly in the right area? ... What if you want to see what the area you are going to on holiday is like? Educational purposes for schools ... How about researching a neighbourhood you would like to move to .... Yes you could just go to these places .. but think of how much more convenient it would be to have this information beforehand?
Google Street View ... a good thing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
0 comments:
Post a Comment