September 13th, 2007
Google Street View may break Canadian law
By Michael Santo
Executive Editor, RealTechNews
You may recall my earlier posts about Google’s new Street View. Although Google is now allowing anyone to report identifiable faces, license plates, etc., which Google will then zap, Canadian privacy law may not be satisfied by the zap process.
Canadian law obliges businesses wishing to disclose personal information about individuals to first obtain their consent. Stoddart said pictures of people on Street View were clear enough to be considered personal information.
“The images … appear to have been collected largely without the consent and knowledge of the individuals who appear in the images,” wrote Stoddart.
“I am concerned that, if the Street View application were deployed in Canada, it might not comply with our federal privacy legislation. In particular, it does not appear to meet the basic requirements of (the law).” Source: Reuters
We Say: When I posted about the privacy issues, many felt that with all the traffic cams, etc. we have, privacy is a thing of the past. I guess in Canada it’s not as far in the past as here. 
Google’s Street Views Could Break Canada’s Privacy Laws says:
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September 13th, 2007 at 6:33 am
John Corliss says:
Google’s ongoing disrespect for the concept of privacy has led to them embracing this Orwellian concept of internet streetcams in public areas.
IMO, they need to be spanked, and hard.
September 13th, 2007 at 7:00 am
Kevin K. says:
I think this flap over “privacy” in public is ridiculous. If they have to remove all the Google street view images, then why not take out all the web cams all over the place too? Thousands of them stream images of people you don’t know 24 hours a day 7 days a week!
This is only an invasion of privacy if you have something to hide.
Go ahead, take my picture of me walking into Target, mowing my lawn, smooching my wife. The people around me can see it so what if a camera captures it? I don’t care one bit.
Now, if those Google cameras move closer to the front window of my house and take pictures of what’s going on inside, THAT’S invasion of privacy.
If I’m out in public, that’s in the public domain and it’s perfectly fine if someone takes my picture.
And if you catch me picking my nose, well that’s funny and shame on me for doing it!
Invasion of privacy? No.
September 13th, 2007 at 8:05 am
John says:
Perfectly said Kevin
September 13th, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Noel Basilio says:
How I wish that google could do the same thing here in the Philippines where street view can be seen easily, as well as people walking on the street to monitor pick pocketers.
September 13th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
John Corliss says:
They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty or safety.
–Benjamin Franklin
September 14th, 2007 at 8:22 am