http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2330097.ece
ANGRY Brits have started demanding Google take down snaps of them caught on camera by its new high-tech Street View maps. Just hours after the incredible service was launched the internet search engine faced calls for it to remove images of people and their homes. You need Flash Player 8 or higher to view video content with the ROO Flash Player. Click here to download and install it. It means bits of cities around the UK are effectively being "blacked out" - leaving a blank screen and "This image is not available" message instead. Pics taken down include one snap of a man leaving a sex shop in Soho, and another of a drunken reveller throwing up as he is comforted by a pal. A spokeswoman from Google said: "We cannot give out numbers for the complaints we have received, but we are dealing with them and blacking out the images within hours. "We know the service is not perfect, but we are relying on users to tell us where there are problems. We are happy to remove any images people are not happy with." Street View was launched to a great fanfare yesterday and lets curious Brits have a good old nosey at millions of homes across the country. The amazing technology lets users take a virtual stroll along the street - and even allows them to zoom right in for a sneaky peek through bedroom windows. Privacy campaigners last night blasted the "unacceptable" publication of the 360-degree photographic views. There are also fears the website could be exploited by criminals and terrorists. But Google said both Scotland Yard and the Information Commissioner were happy with the new online facility. And if Street View UK follows the example of the US version, the most serious consequence is likely to be severe embarrassment. Google's car-mounted cameras snapped topless sunbathers, passed-out drunks and boys falling off their bikes in America. Eagle-eyed Brits have already spotted a series of hilarious scenes here - including two cyclists colliding in a Bristol street. Another image shows a lad seen larking around in Edinburgh with a traffic cone on his head. To overcome privacy issues, Street View incorporates software that blurs out any faces caught on camera. Getaway The internet giant has so far photographed 22,360 miles of streets in 25 UK cities. Tens of millions of digital photos were then stitched together to create navigable panoramas of London, Edinburgh, Leeds, Bradford, Cambridge, Cardiff, Belfast, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Oxford, Sheffield, Nottingham, Derby, Bristol, Coventry, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Swansea, York, Newcastle, Dundee, Southampton, Norwich and . . . Scunthorpe. Google's geospatial technologist Ed Parsons said: "Street View has been hugely popular with our users worldwide. "We're thrilled it's now available in the UK for so many great cities, enabling users to see street-level panoramas." But ex-burglar Bob Turney, 60 - who now helps householders prevent raids - warned: "Crooks can check targets and getaway routes from the comfort of their homes. We are making it easier for them." Former Flying Squad chief John O'Connor added: "From a counter-terrorism point of view, it's crazy. It will make information too easily available." Human rights watchdog Privacy International is threatening legal action, saying: "These images are being captured without people's permission for commercial use and we believe that is not legally acceptable." A US couple sued Google last month, claiming Street View invaded their privacy, but lost when a judge ruled they had not suffered through their home being shown. Google whizz Mr Parsons added: "The images on Street View are the same images you'd see if you were to walk or drive down the road yourself." UK images include every Government building visible from the road. Downing Street is not included because it is not accessible to the public, and Buckingham Palace is missing due to a technical hitch. Organisations including the Greater London Authority, FindaProperty.com and online pub guide Fancyapint.co.uk have already embraced the technology by including "maplets" on their websites. The images were captured by special cameras mounted on top of cars that have been driving around Britain since last year. Our dismal summer meant the project was delayed by rain, while London's traffic and one-way systems meant some famous addresses including Oxford Street were missed out. Google is continuing to photograph UK streets to widen its coverage. *********************************** * POST TO [email protected] * *********************************** Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
