That's Lisa, myself and a coworker driving back to our main office after lunch. On Google Streetview! We saw the streetview car - just a regular car with some portable antennas and a camera in a bubble on the roof - and were laughing about how cool it would be if it was actually recording. Turns out, it was. Now that we've been assimilated by the Borg I'm not sure if it's a good thing. On the plus side we are immortal and that's cool, but even though we were in a public place I still feel a little freaked out. Clearly I'm over it as I'm publishing the pic on the blog and I know I should just shut the hell up about privacy, but still. I'm also quite relieved I wasn't committing some road-rage offence when our snap was snapped.
BTW, Google and all its services are mortal, just like any other company.
ReplyDeleteThat is really creepy. I think we're headed ( like it or not ) into an era of "openness" or reduced personal privacy. This can go too far, as it seems to be in the UK with all their surveillance cameras. They have so many that most aren't monitored - hence a recent program proposed where they open up the cameras to the internet, and volunteer "non neighborhood watchers" can report crimes.
ReplyDeleteNo one tell the US DHS about this. I'm sure they'd love it.
Speaking of US DHS, that photo is almost clear enough for me to "profile" you. LOL!
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of creepy, how was the trip from KMYR via KTEB?
Wayne
Sudbury
I think this openness is kind of cool. It's going full circle back to the small town world when every person you saw knew who you were, and who your parents were--often better than you did.
ReplyDeleteWell, maybe, Aviatrix. I suppose bloggers would have a different viewpoint on 'openness'. Some blogs are almost like semi-anonymized diaries. I'm much too private a person to consider blogging.. or maybe just I'm imagining this guy researching me...
ReplyDeleteI was looking at this google street view and found a guy in San Diego in an alley taking a leak! When I saw it driving in front of me, I waived. With my hand thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteI am so underwhelmed by the hoo-hah over Google Streetview, or Google Maps, et al.
ReplyDeleteI'm on a public street. People may see me, or take my picture while I am there. That would be the definition of the word "public".
This isn't new technology. Newspapers have been taking pictures of people in public for years, and publishing them for the world to see, with your name printed beside the photograph. Today they put it online and make it searchable. The old newspapers are available in the microfilm department in your public library.
I don't see Jennifer Stoddard getting all riled up about the Globe&Mail.
Blurring faces and license plates is a sop ... yes, that license plate is at a specific spot at a specific place and time. Anyone on the side of the road knew that already.
Meanwhile, our governments are doing much more to invade our privacy, track our activities, and generally do all sorts of stuff much more minor than Google Street View. But, of course, we can trust the government.
Verification word: Glock. How appropriate.
If you don't like your photo being there, you can report it to Google and they will remove you/blur out the image further.
ReplyDeleteDid google blur your license plate or was that you?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you've seen this, but in case you haven't
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35LqQPKylEA