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Thanks to Google, we now have instant access to detailed photographic images of nearly every street in New York, Las Vegas, Miami and San Francisco. Tech and business consultant David Evans weighs in on whether “street view” is expanding our world or paving the way for Big Brother.
Google, in everything it does, is neither expanding our world nor paving the way for Big Brother. It merely is broadening access to information. If you don't want something to be available on Google, don't put it online. Similarly, if you don't want to be caught doing something, don't do it in the first instance.
Just like every other bit of new technology, streetview can be abused. (see: http://thenewsroom.com/categories/Science%
2Band%2BTechnology?c_id=wom-bc-je) However, it seems like there are a lot of advantages -- I agree with Hasan. If you want to ensure safety, remove yourself from the program. Otherwise, praise goes to Google for proving again that they are true innovators.
- Jennifer from The Science Desk at TheNewsRoom.com
Of course this technology can be abused (see: http://thenewsroom.com/categories/Science%2Band
%2BTechnology?c_id=wom-bc-je) but the program gives users the opportunity to remove themselves from its content -- it seems like all the bases are covered. Personally, I think Street View is incredible and that Google should be applauded.
- Jennifer from The Science Desk at TheNewsRoom.com
Please correct or challenge in a follow-up the insinuation by David Evans that the images on Google Maps street view are real-time. These are not real-time images and it is unlikely that the Google Maps technology will go real-time any time soon.
A news story I would like to see is about the criteria that Privacy International used to evaluate Google. From what I can tell, they know little about the underlying technology (in regard to email, search, etc.)
Also, the guest in this segment says something to the effect of "Google is interested in this data so it can improve advertising...." While that is the case, the foremost reason the data are important to Google is because they are used to improve the quality of Google's services. Many engineers at Google think very little about advertising, and a whole lot about how to improve their search engine.
Personally, I want Google to know more about me so it can better serve me. As long as it proves to be a trustworthy keeper of my personal data I won't object. And when did Google last have a significant security breach?
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