If you want something to rant about.. try this.
Goto Google maps and type in your own address.

Then...watch and learn.

Ask yourself this....what went on, between who.. that your home is pictured from the street view ?

I wonder where this could lead?

Interesting topic polycarp. In some instances advances in technology are out-pacing society's comfort zone or ability to deal with, sometimes unforseen, consequences. Privacy is one of those issues.

Another article on this mentioned the possibility of young children being pictured at a specific location. So blurring facial images (as mentioned in the link below) would not change the fact that a young child or children reside at a particular addresss. Perhaps Google could simply opt not to upload pictures that display children if that was a concern.

There has been some press coverage on this issue of late:

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/national/national/general/smile-australia-youre-on-googles-candid-camera/1235401.aspx

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/google-gives-a-downtoearth-glimpse/1235334.aspx

I'm shocked polycarp, I thought you would be one of those kinds of people who would say 'If you've got nothing to hide, why are you worried' :-)

'Perhaps Google could simply opt not to upload pictures that display children if that was a concern. '
Enter the paedogeddon paranoia:-)

Privacy is dead really. A lot of young people don't even understand the concept, and like to exhibit every aspect of their lives on Facebook/MySpace. Although maybe they wouldn't like it if they couldn't doctor the content for best impressions with the famous MySpace Angle, making every picture of themselves look very flattering. I find it hard to understand this world of over-sharing personal information.

It did occur to me if you were a burglar, it would be easy to browse through google maps rather than staking out the houses to see which is easiest to break into. On that note, did you know there is a web site that locates all the vacant houses in Sydney in an exercise to rubbish claims of a housing shortage?

I don't know how you can really do anything about it though. It's public space, and they have a complaints process, and they smear faces.

Google maps is really good in that it identifies where all the secret military bases and such are located, by blurring them out. Ah, the cleverness of the governments of the world.

That's the real problem I think. If you look at the stupid attempts at porn filters it's proof the government are out of their depth when it comes to technology.

"'Perhaps Google could simply opt not to upload pictures that display children if that was a concern. '
Enter the paedogeddon paranoia:-)"

I was waiting for that one. :)

Not paranoid but mindful and it is an issue raised in the linked article US and my comment was merely to provide a solution if that was a concern.

Personally I think privacy is important for kids and adults and something that is being continually eroded by governments and businesses under the auspices of national security, crime or commercial expediency.

What is wrong with seeing pictures on the internet when all one has to do is drive down the street and see the same thing. Google are not coming into our houses and photographing inside.
I can hardly imagine peadophiles using Google streetview to find pictures of children. I've already uploaded all my school photos on freindsreunited.com, it's easier to look there.
I think this site is very interesting. I looked up all the old houses where I've lived in the past to see how they've changed. At work we were able to show each other what our streets looked like. If freinds have moved a long way, you can get a good idea what it is like for them in their new home before you visit.
As far as photographing people's homes. This is not an offence and never has been. Camera's have been around for over 150 years now.

Google Earth is possibly a bigger risk to privacy except that most images are currently low resolution and not current. The part of my home visible from the street is clearly not private, anybody driving down the street can see in. I accept that and have arranged fences and gates accordingly.

My backyard is much more private from my perspective and longer term as technology develops further that may be the bigger concern privacy wise. The real privacy risks from these technologies is capability creep. Right now what is visible is only a risk if something was visible which you wanted private when the photo's were taken. I heard from a commentator that one woman discovered that her brother in law who she was having an affair with had his car in her driveway when the photo's were taken - opps.

Google Map may become a more serious privacy risk if at some stage in the future they start getting live feeds from street mounted camera's, none in my street now but they are becoming much more common in CBD areas and as that technology develops they may spread to the burbs. That seems unlikely right now but it's possible to imagine some reasons why it might seem like a good idea at the time.

Google Earth may become a bigger concern if the resolution is enhanced so that the level of detail is enhanced.

R0bert