Google Streetview - Blessing or Curse?

[Zyklop]

Most of you probably already know Google Streetview. A technology which intends to let the user explore cities from a street level. Cars equipped with all-around panoramic cameras completely photograph a city and the results later are published on the internet.

Some examples:
Rome - Colloseum

London - Big Ben

Paris - Eifel Tower

Although faces and license plates automatically are censored, Google has been criticised countless times for hurting people's privacy or helping burglars and terrorists with spying out possible targets. Recently Google even has been completely blocked from photographing the streets of Greece.

So what's your opinion on this technology? A serious threat to privacy or a useful tool for exploring interesting places?

[Jamt]

I hate it big time.
I even dislike the effectiveness of Google search-engine.
Man is not supposed to know it all.

[Loki]

So what's your opinion on this technology? A serious thread to privacy or a useful tool for exploring interesting places?

There is probably no stopping new and better technology from coming out. It's a battle that cannot be won in the long term. I think we will have to come to terms with living in a much more open and less private world. Not a pleasant thought, but reality unfortunately. Homo sapiens has a natural lust for knowledge and exploring all unknowns and secrets, hence this drive towards invading privacy I guess.

[Skandi]

I don't see how it invades privacy, nothing that is shown on it was not already avaliable for the people present, yes more people can see your idiocy, but hell they won't know who you are.

[Jamt]

I don't see how it invades privacy, nothing that is shown on it was not already avaliable for the people present, yes more people can see your idiocy, but hell they won't know who you are.

You just are not paranoid enough. And the reason is you just do not know enough.

[Ulex]

Privacy seems to be protected, so what's the big deal? A tool for terrorists? Well, terrorists and their sympatizers are all around anyway, due to our insane immigration politics, so they wouldn't even bother to use Google. Why not take a walk down to the Colosseum and plan your strike, when you are living in the neighbourhood anyway?

[Skandi]

You just are not paranoid enough. And the reason is you just do not know enough.

Anything I do on the street I assume is watched, I really don't care who by.

[Beorn]

I think it's amazing!

Tippety-tap into the box and you're suddenly transported to the other side of England to view the area you grew up in and wondered aimlessly round in as a child.
You can point out the pubs you used to waste away your hard earned money. You can show your children the places you will hopefully one day take them to see for themselves just as your parents once did.

It's endless!

It's also good for those who are banned from entering into areas for fear of being arrested *cough* so places like Guernsey and that should hurry up and allow the whole island be done.

All this talk of privacy being broken and fears of burglars huddling round the soft glow of their PCs spying the weaknesses of your house and property is ridiculous.

Google map is brilliant! Can't wait for it to come my way.

[Jamt]

Google maps is another thing to worry about.

[Rainraven]

I love it!

It's so much fun to see where people live, and to look up previous houses that I've lived in and see what they're looking like now

I just checked out my flat and it's on a great street for it, if anyone wants to see then just PM me, and I'd be interested to see anyone elses places too