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One of my students mentioned the other day that she was mortified when she found her house in Northeast Minneapolis on Google Earth. Just for fun, she was flying around on Google Earth and decided to stop in and see her own crib. It turns out that the local photograph of her home on Google Earth had been taken in the latter, very messy, phase of a giant yard sale. So her house looks like total trash. "Who cares?" you might ask? Well, anyone who might like to put their home on the market, for instance.
Well, it turns out that a Pittsburgh couple is suing Google for "mental suffering" and invasion of their privacy:
"A couple from Pittsburgh has sued Google because a photo of their house appeared on Google Street View. They are demanding in excess of $25,000 to make up for the 'mental suffering' and the diminished value of their home. Their street is apparently marked with a 'Private Road' sign, and they claim that putting a photo of their property online is an 'intentional and/or grossly reckless invasion' of their privacy. Google, on the other hand, claims that this lawsuit is pointless since anyone can ask them to have pictures removed without legal action. We've previously discussed some of the privacy concerns surrounding Street View."
This is from Slashdot. You can find links there to more information.
(This provides a whole new meaning to the term "Open Access.")
Humanities & Social Science
Comments
My understanding of it is that google isn't even the group responsible for the imagery.
I am also surprised that the yard sale was big enough to show up as any more that a bit of a light blur on the front lawn.
Posted by: thadd | April 7, 2008 5:23 PM
Those poor Pittsburgh folks are also cursed with the surname "Boring", so that numerous news sources from as far away as the Antipodes ran the story under the headline, "Boring Couple Sue Google Over Photos."
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/4468527a28.html
Posted by: Julie Stahlhut | April 7, 2008 8:44 PM
Here we go, some ignorant dumbasses are gonna throw a hissy fit a riun an awsome learning too like google earth. Just because the world can see a picture of them trying to sell their dirty underwear on the lawn. Sometimes I really hate Americans.
Posted by: Mr.Mom | April 7, 2008 11:16 PM
Just for balance, the couple who are suing are objecting to Street View, not Google Earth, and are objecting to pictures taken on a road labeled private. Of course, they apparently didn't ask Google to take down the pictures before suing.
Posted by: Stephanie Z | April 8, 2008 8:21 AM
Posted by: Reginald Selkirk | April 8, 2008 8:58 AM
Mr. Mom...
It does get worse. In the town that my friend lives you can travel through the neighborhood at street level. Unfortunately, the picture of his home features his 14 year old daughter watering flowers in the front yard in a bikini. I can completely understand his outrage. I would feel the same way if my kids were displayed in this way.
Posted by: Kay | April 8, 2008 10:13 AM