Google Street View provides ground-level photographic maps of nearly any location using vehicle-mounted cameras. It has expanded coverage worldwide and faced controversy over privacy concerns. Some private areas have special images, and scavenger hunts for unusual images have become popular.
Google® Street View is a computer application that provides high-resolution images of places that match the Google ® Maps application. Since its introduction in 2007, Google® Street View has shipped vehicle-mounted cameras around the world to take panoramic photographs that can be used to produce a 360-degree image of nearly any location. Google® Street View has been the subject of constant controversy since its introduction, following allegations of invasion of privacy.
Originally, photographic images were used to provide an overhead view of streets and buildings in Google® Maps. The disadvantage of this form of the program was significant, as only the tops of the buildings could be seen. Google® Street View was created to produce ground-level photographic maps that allow people to see buildings or paths exactly as they appear at approximately eye level. The cameras are suspended on top of vans or other vehicles allowing a street level view of nearly any location.
Google® Street View was introduced in 2007 using images taken in the United States. As technology improved, new generations of cameras were introduced and coverage was expanded to cover Canada, Mexico, Australia, Europe and parts of Asia, South America and Africa. Coverage was initially limited to public access roads wide enough for vans to descend. In 2009, a three-wheeled vehicle known as a trike was added to provide access to pedestrian areas, such as hiking trails and college campuses. Snowmobile-mounted cameras were also used.
Private area images are sometimes available on Google® Street View. Theme parks, such as Disneyland Paris, have allowed the collection of special Google® Street View images in certain areas of the park. In general, however, images are restricted to publicly accessible areas in order to protect privacy.
Despite privacy protections like face blurring technology, critics consider Google® Street View to be the very essence of privacy invasion. Many object to the availability of photographs of their homes, cars and businesses in high-resolution view on the Internet. The Czech Republic made headlines in 2010 by banning future operations of the program in the country due to privacy concerns.
Scavenger hunting for amazing images captured on Google® Street View has become something of an Internet game. Some people will deliberately hunt down vans to try and create bizarre or humorous photographs which will then become part of the permanent image. Some websites even have ongoing contests for maps that show unusual activity, such as fisticuffs, beachgoers, or people being pulled over by law enforcement.
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