Google Earth Street View Pictures

[AndreaCD1963]

Does anyone know if they edit people out of their pictures?

Their photo car just drove by while I was out on the front porch - not fully dressed so definitely look like a guy in a skirt and tank (no wig, makeup, etc).

My concerns are:
1). If I'm in a pic, it won't be very flattering
2). Not everyone knows about Andrea - this could be a really sucky way to get outed!

[nuwanda]

I have looked at lots of google street views and have never seen a license plate or someone's face that wasn't blurred out.

[sissystephanie]

I don't believe any editing is done!! But whether you would be recognizable is debatable. Remember, that camera is up very high!! Anyway, I go out in public wearing a skirt and feminine top almost every day, with no wig or makeup. Been doing that for over 6 years and have never had a problem!!

[lynn_lynn]

funny story actually.. My dad passed away some yrs ago.... While visiting google maps, I caught a now faded apparition of my dad in the doorway the house. It has been edited and blurred, unfortunately..

[ChanDelle]

Just checked. Looks like they blur the faces just a bit and really fuzz out the license plates. I seriously doubt you have anything to worry about.

ChanDelle

[lynn_lynn]

yeah, most street people are blurred, I had seem some other people in the streets around my town, and tried to get a zoom and different angle going, but no luck. their software used may automatically blur certain images.

[JenniferR771]

LOL! You never know when the fickle finger of fate is going to point your way. EEEK! Actually, I was standing in the bed of my pickup in the front drive of my house when their truck went by. I did not know what it was at the time. Too far away--I am in the picture; not recognizable--I don't think.

Drab.

[Barbra P]

I just checked my one address and there is a new image, but no one outside. We live on a Circle, really just a funny shaped block, where the incoming street circles back on itself. Around the circle I found a woman standing in a garage door opening talking to a man inside. I know who the woman is because she lives across and three house up the street, she is Black and she walks daily, with the aid of a cane, which is visible in the picture. I know who the man is because he sits in his garage most days talking to anyone who will spend some time with him – he is confined to a wheelchair.

However, I suspect that many of my neighbors, especially if they work days, would have no idea who these two people in the picture are. Zooming in is of no benefit as the figures quickly become pixilated, the resolution used by Google isn’t high enough to show facial features. I can just make out that the man in the garage is quite large and has a gray or white beard. The woman is black, appears to wearing sunglasses and is holding a cane; my first clue however was simply manor of her dress and the cane.

The bad news is that neighbors might recognize you if they check your address on a Google map, and people who know where you live may be able to deduce who is standing on the porch, then again maybe not if they have no idea that you dress. I don’t even have any idea of how many people actually use the Google Street View feature, not all that many of my acquaintances even seem to be aware that it exists. A few admit to using it on a cell phone when going someplace where they haven’t been before and don’t know what the store, restaurant, etc looks like.

[kristinacd55]

Wow, I never knew you could see people in the pics....now im heading back to google to check it out!! lol

[Sara Jessica]

Of all the things to worry about, this doesn't seem to be one of them.

[Schatten Lupus]

I doubt you have anything to worry about. Many places I've noticed have very outdated pictures, by several years even. And when you look at it objectively, it can be difficult to tell whose car it is you're looking at. As for street pictures, you can make out more, but again the resolution is so poor if you don't know exactly who or what you're looking at it can be very difficult to tell. Or in my case, you live so far out in the country there are no street images.

[Yolanda_Voils]

I don't believe any editing is done!! But whether you would be recognizable is debatable. Remember, that camera is up very high!They also use vans to get street level pictures.

[eluuzion]

Here is a chronological account of all of the legal/privacy invasion battles involving Google Street View.

See May 12, 2008 entry in list at bottom of page.

http://epic.org/privacy/streetview/

:love:

[AndreaCD1963]

Thanks ladies. I've been looking too and it does appear that images are blurred so I probably have nothing to worry about.

Worst case - I get outed to people I'm not ready to be outed to (not the end of the world by any means), maybe some can't accept (their issue not mine), and life goes on (probably with fewer secrets)

Thanks again for all of your thoughts & input

Hugssss,

Andrea

[Schatten Lupus]

I checked Google Earth yesterday, and the picture of my parents house still has the car I drove and wrecked my senior year of high school parked were it sat until it was towed off. That was just about a month short of seven years ago. My house is showing something red the previous owner had in the yard, but I have absolutely no idea what it is, and since it's just a red blob there is no way of ever knowing.