Pittsburgh (PA) - A husband and wife have filed a lawsuit against Google for its "street view" feature on Google Maps, which gives Internet users easy access to clear pictures of the front of their house.

Aaron and Christie Boring said that Google came onto the driveway of their Pittsburgh home to take pictures for its controversial service, and that having the images online is a threat to their safety.

Google calls the lawsuit inappropriate, because users can request to remove street view images from the Google Maps website. "We absolutely respect that people may not be comfortable with some of the imagery on the site. We actually make it pretty easy for people to submit a request to us to remove the imagery," said Google spokesperson Larry Yu in an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.



The couple also may have a difficult time proving that Google's street view maps are an invasion of privacy.  Anything that can be readily seen from a public area, like a city-owned street, can usually be published without recourse.

Google did not comment on the legal validity of the case, instead just noting that "it is unfortunate litigation was chosen to address the concern."

New Google Street View drives up your driveway!

Apr 07, 2008 11:17     

Check out this Google Street View capture! http://streetviewgallery.corank.com/tech/story/google-is-getting-in-hot-water-for-thi This is a true invasion of privacy I'd say!
Mapper99 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -4

Lame

Apr 07, 2008 11:19     

Google even provides the simple means of removing images. They are just being money hungry.
Henrik report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

Total greed

Apr 07, 2008 12:57     

If there was not an option to remove it from the Google map, then it could be a basis (a big if). I agree with Google, any one can take a photo of your house if it can be seen from the street. If they want privacy, they should put a big privacy fence so that no one can see their house from the street. The judge should throw out the lawsuit (with some lawsuits going through that are totally lame, it might get heard).

TomLeeM/BigWarpGuy report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

Don't LOOK!!!!!

Apr 07, 2008 13:59     

Whatever you do, Don't look at that house. You might get sued! LOL!!!
Narg report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +2

I hope Google counter sue's

Apr 07, 2008 14:16     

this lawsuit is rediculous
09 F9 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

A few more facts

Apr 07, 2008 16:03     

Actually, there is alittle more to this story. The couple is upset because Google trespass onto their property to get the pictures needed to have that shot, not just that they were published. However, even with that said, this is an obvious overreaction.
Jorge report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

No grounds whatsoever

Apr 07, 2008 18:26     

It's all plain view. I could take a picture of it myself and post it on the internet if I wanted to. There are no people in it, it's nothing that an ordinary person wouldn't see walking by. Frankly, I could hang glide over the place and take pictures if I wanted. There are no grounds for a lawsuit. These are just greedy people trying to make money by suing a company with deep pockets.
Task report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

If they were truly concerned about their privacy th...

Apr 07, 2008 19:33     

If they were truly concerned about their privacy than they wouldn't be suing companies as high profile as google. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0404081google1.html
dude report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

So basically every paparazzi is OK, because they're...

Apr 08, 2008 02:01     

So basically every paparazzi is OK, because they're photographing what everybody else can see easily just passing by... So basically I should check every website out there to see if they have a photo of my house, which I don't want published for whatever reason... This is my first time talking somewhat against Google, but I really hate paparazzi and gossips and invasion of privacy. By the way, the photo in the article is a clear example of my second "so basically". How could anyone the couple know there's a photo of their house in TGDaily? (if)

Virtualban report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

This story seems to miss a key fact and is somewhat...

Apr 08, 2008 07:02     

This story seems to miss a key fact and is somewhat misleading given the shown picture is not of the property in question. " they live on a street that is "clearly marked with a 'Private Road' sign," " source: http://www.thesmokinggun.com/a...ogle1.html as provided by poster "dude" However I have to agree with dude that if they didn't want undue attention then they wouldn't be making an issue of it.

bit7 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

Re: paparazzi

Apr 10, 2008 09:31     

When was the last time you saw a paparazzi arrested? Photographing anything in plain view is legal which is why they get away with so much. Using a telephoto lense to take a picture of someone in their bedroom from half a mile away is an invasion of privacy, but that's about it.
Task report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0