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Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Street View Feature Angers Some Homeowners

FOR THE RECORD: This story has been corrected to reflect that Street View images for Albuquerque became available on March 27. The photographs were taken in previous months.

By Sean Olson
Journal Staff Writer
    Here's hoping that our spring cleaning is finished in Albuquerque, because the city is getting its portrait done by Google.
    The mammoth Web site is augmenting Google Maps with "Street View"— photos showing 360-degree views of every block in mapped cities and surrounding communities, said Elaine Filadelfo, a Google spokeswoman.
    "It really adds to the (Google Maps) experience to see a very immersive, interactive view," Filadelfo said.
    Not everyone is so enthusiastic.
    "I find it to be an extreme infringement on my rights," Four Hills resident Christina Parlapiano said.
    People in other parts of the country are speaking out about having their homes photographed, too. One couple in Pittsburgh is suing the company over privacy issues, according to The Smoking Gun Web site.
    Other images, such as young women sunbathing in a park in California also have people bristling about privacy.
    In Albuquerque, photos have already been posted on the Web site for most of the city. The rest of the metro area should follow in the next few weeks.
    Filadelfo said display of the photos for Albuquerque began March 27, making it about the 40th city that Google— or one of its contractors— has photographed.
    Street View was launched in six major cities last May, she said.
    Parlapiano said she likes to keep her private life out of the public eye. Having a photo of her home published on the Internet doesn't sit well with her or her family, she said.
    "It allows people to case your home from their living room," she said.
    Filadelfo said Google only uses photos that anyone can legally take from the street. It doesn't peek over fences or peer into windows.
    "We take people's wishes for privacy very seriously," she said.
    Filadelfo said anyone can have images of their homes— or other images that may be inappropriate or offensive— removed by visiting the Google Web site and sending a message to the company. The company also created a YouTube video that walks people through the process of having material removed.
    Only people who own a property may have it removed from the Web site, Filadelfo said.
    "Our goal is to make it as easy as possible," she said.
    Parlapiano said her experience was anything but easy.
    She said a Google help line operator refused to give her specific information on how to remove her house from the site. She said he told her she needed to find it on the Web site by herself.
    Disturbed by the operator's demeanor, Parlapiano asked for his name.
    "He says, 'I don't have to give you that. Company policy protects my privacy,' '' she said.
    She said the irony was a little overwhelming.
    Filadelfo said that Parlapiano's experience was an aberration and that Google is dedicated to respecting people's wishes to have images of their homes removed.

Want your home taken off Google Street View?
    Follow these steps:
    1. Go to maps.google.com and click on “Street View” in the upper-righthand corner.
    2. Click on the camera icon over Albuquerque (or any other camera icon) and then on any street to view an image.
    3. Click on “Street View Help” in the image window.
    4. Click on “Report Inappropriate Image.”
    Also, Google has created a YouTube video that walks people through the steps. It can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4ZdgH5n3XI and below: