Journal 8

“Google Spy, Zooming in on Neighbors, Nose-Pickers, and Sunbathers with Street View”
By Michael Agger

Technology keeps getting better and better…to think that anyone can get online and log onto Google’s Street View and check out unaware bystanders in some of America’s biggest cities. The google team sends out a van that is camera equipped to film 360-degree shots around the streets including of New York, Miami, Las Vegas, Denver and San Francisco. Some new fans to this sight soon realized that they could see things in their own homes. One woman could zoom in on her cat through the window. This makes us wonder what else can you see? Some of the most popular videos on the site have since been taken down, but showed one guy peeing on a speed limit sign, another of two men entering a cannabis club, and a guy standing outside a strip joint. Although it is not shown live, privacy issues are raised. Others claim that it is the same as walking down the street and seeing something happen. Google has a page to report images that people want or should be removed. People can critique google all they want, but they also need to realize that technology once again is changing and you have to admit it is amazing. Also, we must think how historically cool it will be for people 20+ years from now who look back on the Google Street View and see what it was like to live in our world today.

Have you ever used Google Street View?

After reading this article I jumped on Google Street View and scanned the streets of New York and San Francisco. At first it was exciting to zoom in on different parts of the city, but I soon realized it was a bit boring too. You have to search a lot to find any pictures that really show anything of interest. Most are of walls, parked cars and people walking on the sidewalk. I wanted to see something exciting. I also wish they scanned San Diego because it would be fun to look up my own place. On the other hand, I wouldn’t want to be worried that I’d be caught through the window changing clothes. I also had a good laugh that they filmed in Las Vegas. I guess they are finally changing the slogan “What happens in Vegas…doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas!”J


Do you think Google Street View violates people’s privacy?

This is hard. I want to say yes because I personally would not want to be on the internet without my knowledge. But, no because I am one of those people who sits bored at work (old job of course) and searches the internet for any visual stimuli to make the day more bearable. So this would be addicting especially if you were familiar with a certain area. This could be scary too if it got in the hands of internet predator or stalkers. So this is a tough one, but I think technology is only going to get more advanced, so we haven’t seen anything yet. J