Using Google Street View for good, not evil

Google’s Street View, which was launched a couple weeks ago, raised privacy concerns because some members of the public are identifiable (for instance, in compromising positions) despite images being processed using face-blurring software. Indeed, the day of its release, we quickly identified two Foviance members engaged in rather mundane activities outside our London office. However, the fact that Google responds quickly to privacy complaints by pulling off offending images reassures many, so I think the privacy concerns will not have much impact on Google’s strong brand perception.

Privacy issues aside, some wonder whether Street View has any purpose, while others fear that it will increase antisocial behaviours like crime (by making it easier to plan entry and escape routes), spying and stalking.

Well you ‘can’ use Street View for good. Finding a place to live in London is usually a real pain, but I found Street View invaluable last night as I was sifting through dozens of potential flats online.

It is important for me to feel safe in an area when I’m walking alone, so I used Street View to see what it would be like to walk from potential flats to the nearest public transport. It was user friendly and helped me decide which flats I was interested in viewing, especially when the online advert did not provide many images of the flat itself.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few streets that I couldn’t go down using Street View. I wouldn’t be surprised by this for a small city like Cambridge, but just outside of central London? This is undoubtedly due to Street View cars encountering a frustratingly one-way street and deciding to move on to the next one.

Despite my annoyance whenever the 22,369 miles of UK streets covered by the Street View cars ‘didn’t’ include the street that I wanted, I have to admit it’s reassuring that Google isn’t quite an all-seeing eye.