Toronto (ECN) - The Google Street application is under fire again, but this time in Switzerland. The Street View application has governments across the entire world concerned with privacy issues. Google has repeatedly stated the views that are posted to the Street View system, are views that can be seen from any public street.
The newest issue is the height in which the views were taken from. The Switzerland government has complained the views are violating privacy rights, because they were taken at angles that allow a person to see over a garden wall. Switzerland is also demanding extra blur to people’s faces and license plates that are included in the Street View images. Google has made the commitment to upgrade their software, to improve the blurring effect. There has also been some concern about the footage taken near hospitals, schools and prisons.
Japan required the Google feeds to be completely recaptured. The original images were shot at a level of 2.45 metres, which allowed people to see over garden walls. Google lowered the cameras to 2.05 metres in order to comply with the Japanese standards. Google is concerned if they lower the cameras, they will be in danger of capturing more pedestrians in their footage.
Hans-Peter Thur, Swiss head of the federal date protection, has vowed to take the matter before the Swiss Federal Administrative Court if Google does not comply with his demands. Google has agreed to add the extra blur, but is not agreeing to recapture all the footage.
