[Nottingham] Google unbeatable? Absolute power corrupts?

[Mat Booth]

On 27 October 2010 15:43, Martin <martin at ml1.co.uk> wrote:
> Google boss: 'Creeped out by Street View? Just move'
> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/10/25/schmidt_on_street_view/
>
> "Earlier this month, Schmidt said that Google's policy is "to get right
> up to the creepy line and not cross it" — which was just the most
> prominent example of Schmidt getting right up to the creepy line and
> leaping across it with abandon. In December, Schmidt told CNBC that if
> you're concerned about Google retaining your personal data, then you
> must be doing something you shouldn't be doing."
>

Heh, the Reg is like the red-topped-tabloid of the Internet.

Tangent:

That article has nothing really to do with Streetview, despite the
headline, but it does remind me of my favourite criticism of
Streetview, which was an article (in an actual real life newspaper!
they still make those!) citing that you find and view the location of
MI5, GCHQ and other intelligence organisations' premises. And that
this was somehow a "bad thing," because it obviously the information
could be used for nefarious purposes as well as good. However, those
buildings are on public thoroughfares and absolutely anyone can walk
down the street and see it themselves. Go to GCHQ's website, they even
tell you how to get there!

Point is, whatever other complaints you have against the information
that Google keeps, photography of a public place is not a breach of
any kind of privacy (or due cause for suspicion of an act of
terrorism, despite what the Terrorism Act of 2000 states.) Just smile
and nod at the police if they tell you otherwise though, unless you
have a particularly masochistic streak ;-)


-- 
Mat Booth
http://fedoraproject.org/get-fedora