You've been shamed – Google cuts images after privacy outcry

Published on Friday 20 March 2009 21:11

GOOGLE removed scores of images from its new UK Street View service yesterday, a day after its launch.

The service offers a virtual tour of streets in 25 UK cities including Edinburgh, Glasgow. Aberdeen and Dundee.

But concerns about the software used to blur faces and car number plates led to dozens of areas being blanked out after complaints from the public.

A Google spokeswoman confirmed that the company had received a number of objections.

"We cannot give out numbers for the complaints, 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 that people are not happy with."

Yesterday images of Lothian and Borders Police Headquarters in Fettes Avenue, Edinburgh, and of Queen Street and Great King Street in the capital were replaced by a blank screen and the words: "This image is no longer available."

Lothian and Borders Police said it took matters of security extremely seriously. "If any incidents arise that may compromise the security of an individual or organisation, we will act accordingly," a spokesman said.

A picture of a man emerging from a London sex shop and one of a man vomiting in the street were removed after complaints.

Google said the service had proved widely popular, with thousands of people logging on. The company believes the service will be used by people wishing to view property or to check images of hotels, tourist destinations and holiday apartments.

But it emerged yesterday that some of the capital's most famous streets – Princes Street, Cockburn Street and George Street – are completely missing from the service.

In Glasgow, Buchanan Street and other pedestrianised areas were unavailable.

A Google spokeswoman said the specially-adapted camera car was unable to supply photographs of some areas because of roadworks, one-way systems and access difficulties.

Independent MSP Margo MacDonald said: "There's something wrong there. I'm intrigued by why they can't take pictures of Princes Street – if they can't find a way to photograph it there is something wrong. On the other hand, the way things are just now I would pay them not to take photographs of Princes Street or George Street."

Dr John Welford, Edinburgh spokesman for the privacy campaigners No2ID, said the group did not object to street photographs in principle, but he said: "I think there is a huge invasion of privacy going on in incremental ways. The problem is the function creep – people's acceptance of these things and feeling you can't do anything about it.

"I would like a government which would believe in privacy and not allow this invasion of privacy to get out of hand."

The Information Comissioner's Office said it would look into suggestions that Google had not done enough to ensure that faces and number plates were concealed.