Sober second thought says Street View can be privacy disaster

EU privacy concerns have Google on the defensive over Street View. The new feature of Google Maps provides street level views of people, houses and buildings with photographs linked to Google Maps.

The EU wants people warned when Google is in town taking photographs, faces and license plates blurred, and the photographs destroyed in 6 months.

In Germany, house numbers are blurred and people can have their houses opted out.

A local realtor thought the service would be helpful to people planning to move to an area. Did he consider the photographs are dated and may not show the property at its best? What if it was garbage day or the yard needed landscaping. Warts and all real estate selling doesn’t sound like a value enhancing proposition.

With story from the Washington Post