Google Maps - a warning

[Countrylass]

Our son e-mailed us a link to the new Google Maps Street View which shows our house and driveway. We were shocked to find that the picture showed our new caravan sitting in the drive and our towcar with the registration number clearly visible.

They must have taken the pictures during the one day just after a holiday when the van was sitting out on the drive before being tucked away out of sight. When we looked around the street on the picture ours is the only car which does not have the numberplate blurred out. We have asked Google to fix these things but in the meantime we feel that this is an invitation to thieves. The site even shows our exact address. I'm not sure how much of the country has been photographed yet. I believe from reports in our local paper that Tony and Cherie Blair have had pictures of their London house removed so why should we be any different?

Anyone else had this experience?

 

[paddy1]

Am with you on this one,our friends house was filmed and you can zoom in into her lounge.I think you can have your home blacked out, but any criminal can can use this system and it is wrong regards Mark

 

[MikeMc]

I dont see what all the fuss is about really. The google cars where taking pictures from the public highway. Anyone has a right to take such images. If you have something to hide then don't leave it in full public view imho.

Mike Mc

 

[Lutz]

I don't think one can see it as casually as that, Mike. It can work the other way round, too. Maybe Google Maps Street View just happens to catch a picture of you loading your car and caravan up for a holiday. That's an open invitation for anyone to break in, knowing that the house will be empty for the next week or two.

 

[MikeMc]

But its not a live service, and I cannot see a way of finding when the image was captured. In the industry the news of the cars starting to map the uk first appeared a couple of months ago. So if there was an image of me loading up it is so out of date as to be useless.

 

[WilliamLX]

I agree there is very much to much hysteria about Google street view. Here in Northern Ireland we have had politicians on the radio claiming these photos would aid terrorists etc. Load of nonsense there is nothing on them that you can't see yourself if you drive or walk down the street. Google will blur the car number plate if you want it done (but again why?, its not blurred when you drive around in it). As for paddy's friend, well all I can say is she should get net curtains if she doesn't want people to see into her house. Not having net curtains if your house is not set well back into it's own grounds means you may as well be living in a fish bowl.

 

[Chrisbee]

Country lass, where do you tuck your caravan out of sight? If it's not under cover google earth will pick it out anyway.

 

[Countrylass]

Country lass, where do you tuck your caravan out of sight? If it's not under cover google earth will pick it out anyway.

Chrisbee

It's under a carport between the house and garage. It takes careful use of the motor mover to get it in and out but it could be done without with enough time and effort. Without the mover we had fitted last year it used to take two of us well over 45 minutes. I am not so mobile these days hence the motor mover.

 

[Countrylass]

It may not be a live service and you don't see anything you could'nt see walking around but what an easy and secret way to recce an area.

 

[WilliamLX]

You may be able to recce an area but I think that is being more than a little paranoid.

 

[AlexC]

Any thief could recce an area at anytime, they don't have to use Google.

 

[Countrylass]

You may be able to recce an area but I think that is being more than a little paranoid.

No I'm not paranoid, we live in a quiet country area with an active Neighbourhood Watch group and stange cars stand out.

 

[WilliamLX]

You may be able to recce an area but I think that is being more than a little paranoid.

Ah now the whole neighborhood watch thing has always struck me as being paranoid .

 

[scottironsbtinternet.com]

Exactly Alex,I have know idea why people are getting all bent out of shape over Google maps.As for people seeing car registrations,gings crifens I see thousands every day driving around.

 

[Lutz]

What I don't like about Google Street View is that it makes it so easy for anyone to get a picture of the lifestyle and even a rough idea of family income, based on the car and/or size of house that you see in the picture or how well the garden is kept - an ideal source of information for unscrupulous marketing organisations.

 

[MikeMc]

Trust me Lutz marketers do not need to sit using Street View. They have many many sources of information about people's lifestyle, income group, club membership, home improvement etc etc. My wife used to work for a company that supplied lists to marketers so I do know what I am talking about. The thought of a marketing department trawling google earth all day is actually quite laughable and a little paranoid.

 

[v.meldrew2]

If you are not content with prowling around the streets using Google, why not take a peek into the back gardens too using Microsoft Virtual Earth Bird's Eye? (www.multimap.com will take you to it). Granted the definition is not as good as Street View, but it's really great for finding out what your neighbours have in their back gardens. Try search on UB9 5DH for example - this is Wyatts Covert CC site. As with Google, coverage is not national. The shots of our street are more than 18 months old so could hardly be used to see if we were on holiday, or some of the other silly suggestions in this thread. Paranoia or what!

 

[Lutz]

Paranoid or not I object to being put on public display without my permission. The very thought of what is possible, whether it is actually carried out or not, fills me with anger. I'm not alone on this. The mayor of a town not far from here filed a court injunction against Google, preventing their camera cars from entering the town, and he received full support from the local residents.

 

[James_374408700]

Does any one know how you get your address removed. All I could see was a "cause for concern" box. When I clicked on it nothing appeared to happen.

 

[LMH]

I'm not happy about this either.

The criminal element can sit at a computer screen and scan particular areas, they are able to see if there are external burglar alarms sited, the size and shape of windows, whether there are hedges to hide behind.

I looked at our address and was not happy, the caravan and cars on show, the type of gate we have.

I had a look around the area I live and in particular some bungalows. Some of the occupants were in their front gardens and although their faces were blurred you could quite clearly see they were vulnerable. All information unsavoury people can tap into rather than having the inconvenience of driving around the area to case the joint.

I'm not paranoid, if you receive a weekly data sheet from the police regarding crimes in our borough like I do, you'd be amazed at the crime figures and if people can see photos of vulnerable people outside in their gardens, then that guarantees a criminal a target, rather than them working on the assumption that there MIGHT be vulnerable people in a property.

Lisa

 

[mcghee]

to those who say it doesnt matter as anyone can walk past your house and have a look anytime they feel like it.

would you have nothing at all to say to someone who stopped and took a few pictures of your house and garden?

i very much think you would.

 

[AlexC]

Hi mcghee,

Sorry, but your assumptions is wrong. Someone has already done this, Google and I've not said anything to them.

I just don't see any additional risk to me, my family or my possessions.

Everyone's entitled to feel how they want about it though.

It's similar to the deabte on CCTV, I think it's a good idea, others speak about breach of civil liberties. There's no right or wrong answer.

Cheers,

Alex.

 

[mcghee]

hi alex.

i find it hard to believe that if i stood outside your house and started taking photos of it, and your car and caravan, and took a photo of your garden, perhaps while children were playing there that you wouldn't have a word to say to me. there would be, i believe, something wrong in me doing that, bearing in mind im not allowed to photograph my own child at school.

and i dont believe you'd be too impressed if i told you the photos were to be posted on web site for all to see.

the only difference here is its been done anonymously.

as you say, if you've no problem with it its fine, but there are a lot of people who do have a problem with it and they were never asked.

on the subject of cctv. in theory its a great idea. the reality is that these cameras are not just there to watch would be criminals, they're there to watch you. the argument against it being if no one has reason to suspect you of anything then no one has reason to know where you are or what you're doing.

as ive said before. how long until we all have cctv in our homes incase we happen to be wife beaters, or smack our children, or get drunk and fall over our dogs? dont say it wont ever happen.

 

[Countrylass]

As mcghee says, if you have no problem with this it's fine but I do have a problem with it. We've asked Google to remove the things we object to but as yet we've only had an acknowledgement.

As I said in my first post I believe Tony and Cherie Blair have had pictures of their London home removed so why should we be different?

 

[Guest]

I tend to agree. Google should have asked permission from all the property owners/tenants they wished to put on public display, but of course that would have been too much trouble and expense for them. Far better, and more profitable to ignore everyone and sort out the complaints afterwards.

Once the first Court Case is launched, then i foresee them withdrawing the deal, 'until technical issues are resolved'.

What i suggest is everyone who has the slightest concerns is to flood their e mail address with complaints, and add a comment that unless a satisfactory answer is received, then legal action will follow.