Google Blogoscoped

Forum

Politicians Of Some German Cities Ponder Banning Google Cars  (View post)

Varun [PersonRank 3]

Wednesday, October 1, 2008
15 years ago4,997 views

Rainer Voß, mayor of Ratzeburg: “These images allow everyone to get an impression of the people’s living situation. We cannot allow this.”

So, they admit that people's living situation is bad.

GiWY [PersonRank 1]

15 years ago #

Just wrote this article down in my Blog, too:
http://giwy.wordpress.com/2008/10/01/golem-update-nord-deutschland-gewinnt-bis-auf-weiteres-keine-aktivitat-mehr-von-street-view/

[put at-character here]Varum:
No, they don't admit, the ppls living situation is bad. Their only say, that they don't want Google to photograph all their houses and flats. This would maybe invite burglars to get into.

[permalinked]

Ionut Alex. Chitu [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

Apparently, German politicians always have negative opinions about Google's services, but Google is very popular in Germany (http://www.itfacts.biz/top-web-sites-in-germany-in-july-2008/11489).

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

(Thanks GiWY, I added an update.)

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

Here are some quotes from Google spokesperson Kay Oberbeck in reaction to Molfsee protests, as reported by TAZ (http://www.taz.de/1/leben/internet/artikel/1/dorf-wehrt-sich-gegen-google/):

- "We don't need permits."
- "You don't see more than a normal pedestrian passing by would. The pedestrian can even look behind a hedge, our cameras can't"*
- "Street View is not a fitting tool for burglars."
- Molfsee is also not on the list of cities to be considered for Street View in the first place. "We are focusing on high density areas like Hamburg, Munich and Frankfurt am Main."

*The "normal pedestrian" analogy is slightly misleading, as there's a difference between seeing and republishing online (as a republication may have different legal requirements, depending on the country laws).

[Via http://searchengineland.com/german-town-wants-to-block-google-streetview-14857.php]

Andy Wong [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

CCTV in public places should also be banned. :)

Marcin Sochacki (Wanted) [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

s/got/good/

Now that Street View blurs faces and license plates, something which I think should have been done from the start, I don't see a privacy issue. It is sad how politicians in various countries have so little knowledge of Internet.

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

> s/got/good/

Thanks Marcin, fixed!

Robert R. [PersonRank 0]

15 years ago #

"the robots.txt format which determines which sites won’t be accessed – there’s currently apparently no way for citizens to opt-out of Street View in advance"

People should put robot.txt signs in their yard/windows.

Philipp Lenssen [PersonRank 10]

15 years ago #

Robert, you can print out this one, only I'm afraid it won't work ;)

http://blogoscoped.com/files/street-view-gallery/yo-google.png

Forum home

Advertisement

 
Blog  |  Forum     more >> Archive | Feed | Google's blogs | About
Advertisement

 

This site unofficially covers Google™ and more with some rights reserved. Join our forum!