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Your House Is About To Be Photographed

Posted by kdawson on from the little-brother dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Photographers from a Canadian company are going house to house, shooting pictures of every house in America, in hopes of building a giant database that can be sold to banks, insurance companies, and appraisal firms. While this activity is legal (as long as the photographers don't trespass on private property to get their shots), there are obviously concerns about security and privacy. Considering that an individual can be detained and questioned by the FBI for photographing a bridge in this country, why should this Canadian company get a free pass? Tinfoil hat aside, something seems very, very fishy here." From the Arizona Star article about the photographing of Tucson: "'The [handout given to people who complain] made it sound like they're doing it for law enforcement, when in reality they're doing it for sales and marketing,' said [a City Council aide], who received several calls about the company."

34 of 491 comments (clear)

  1. That reminds me by Vengeance · · Score: 5, Funny

    I have to put up my 10 meter wide 'FUCK YOU' banner.

    --
    It was a joke! When you give me that look it was a joke.
    1. Re:That reminds me by j00r0m4nc3r · · Score: 5, Funny

      Mine will say, "Take off, eh, hoser!"

    2. Re:That reminds me by MattPat · · Score: 2, Funny

      how about putting up a banner with original text and a copyright notice?

      Or better yet, why not just blow up a page from XML for Dummies? Same legal protection, without the need for any thought. ;) And plus, you don't need to deal with the legal fees, the publishing company does!

    3. Re:That reminds me by What+the+Frag · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, you should print on the banner:

      "Your 30 day free trial of Photoshop has expired.
      Please purchase the full version to remove this sign"

      or

      "Thank you for using a pirated version of Photoshop!"

    4. Re:That reminds me by Vengeance · · Score: 2, Funny

      I wonder if I could make it look like a watermark!

      --
      It was a joke! When you give me that look it was a joke.
    5. Re:That reminds me by MyOtherUIDis3digits · · Score: 2, Funny

      I was thinking that I hope I see them coming, so they can get a picture of the "full moon".

      --
      Ignore anything I said above, I actually agree with everything you believe - mod accordingly.
    6. Re:That reminds me by n1hilist · · Score: 2, Funny

      or, "By photographing this house, you agree to the EULA"

    7. Re:That reminds me by egyptiankarim · · Score: 2, Funny

      Residents of Boston should take care to note what kind of light displays they're putting up. I hear the anti-terrorism laws are really strict against Mooninites ;)

      --
      Eek!
    8. Re:That reminds me by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 2, Funny

      I can think of a couple of ways to foil this.

      Firstly, figure out exactly where your property line in and erect an 8' tall fence around the parimenter in accordance with local codes.

      Secondly, find out when they're going to be photographing your house and be ready with a bunch of high powered flood lights that you can turn on to blind their cameras.

      Thirdly, install a bunch of infared LED's and have them rotate through a whole bunch of different obcene words, etc. They're camera equipment will probably see the message but otherwise it would look like a light brite in the window.

      --
      Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
    9. Re:That reminds me by Poruchik · · Score: 4, Funny

      "The pigeon shit pattern on my vinyl siding represents a unique and brilliant modern art display. I used remote controlled pigeons for 46 years to create this exhibit. Please kindly remove the image of my house from your site or pay me $1,000(,000) a year to license its use.

      Sincerely,

      Joe Public.

      --
      $signature =~ s/$signature//;
    10. Re:That reminds me by aonaran · · Score: 3, Funny

      But a litebrite might have the bomb squad knocking on your door too.

    11. Re:That reminds me by multipartmixed · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just put the source to DeCSS in there.

      --

      Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
  2. I better mow then by John.P.Jones · · Score: 2, Funny

    No more putting off mowing the lawn.

    1. Re:I better mow then by Mister+Whirly · · Score: 2, Funny

      Except possibly lawn and landscaping services...

      --
      "But this one goes to 11!"
  3. Damned Foreigners by NiteShaed · · Score: 4, Funny

    why should this Canadian company get a free pass?
    I am outraged! Not only do I not want Canadians taking pictures of my house, I don't even want them seeing it! I say blindfold 'em at the borders....or better yet, gouge out their eyes! Can't just have people wandering around and looking at buildings that are in full view of a public road, it'll be anarchy!
    --
    Some bring out the best in others, some the worst. Some bring out far more.
    1. Re:Damned Foreigners by Scutter · · Score: 4, Funny

      I took the numbers off my house so they wouldn't be able to find it. I had to take the numbers off the neighbors' houses, too, so they couldn't just look for the house with no numbers.

      --

      "Tell me doctor, with all of your defenses, are there any provisions for an attack by killer bees?"
  4. It's just a prelude... by subl33t · · Score: 5, Funny

    ... to our forthcoming invasion. Do not be alarmed.

    Actually we have invaded the US 47 times in the last 10 years, but nobody noticed.

    1. Re:It's just a prelude... by Rob+the+Bold · · Score: 4, Funny

      Actually we have invaded the US 47 times in the last 10 years, but nobody noticed.

      Anyone could miss Canada, all tucked away down there.

      --
      I am not a crackpot.
    2. Re:It's just a prelude... by Red+Flayer · · Score: 5, Funny

      Actually we have invaded the US 47 times in the last 10 years, but nobody noticed.
      We noticed, but chose to tolerate the presence of Celine Dion and Crash Test Dummies because we love your bacon so much.
      --
      "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  5. boring job by planckscale · · Score: 4, Funny
    "Okay Joe, here we go, 1135 MegaComplex Way. Unit 134, Los Angeles, CA 90202."

    "Number 134?"

    "Yeah"

    "It's just a door with a number?"

    "Yeah like the last 133 units we've shot dumbass"

    *Click*

    "Okay got it"

    --
    Namaste
  6. They are too late. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    I already have many pictures of my house.

  7. I have a proxy house by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I built a facade exterior house outside my actual house with a tinfoil lining. The pretense house has a different address on its mailbox and I use MAT (mailbox address translation) to forward all mail to my real house. I keep all the windows and doors on the proxy house closed. This combined with a good cinder block firewall keeps me safe and from broadcasting my real address TO THE WORLD!

  8. Re:Canadians Do Know We Are Armed, Right? by vonPoonBurGer · · Score: 5, Funny

    "I pity the poor defenseless Canadians." Oh, don't worry about us. We'll be hiring local photographers. Rest assured, those are fellow Americans you'll be shooting, as per usual.

  9. I'm covering my entire house with mirrors. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    That should play with their heads.

  10. Re:+7 Spit Take by MS-06FZ · · Score: 3, Funny

    Whom says that it can only be used in the objective case?

    --
    ---GEC
    I'm but the humble pupil, seeking to snatch the scratchbuilt pebble from the master's fully articulated hand
  11. Re:What about rural areas? by thorkyl · · Score: 2, Funny

    I can see it now

    A hybrid stuck in the pothole every person that lives on the dirt road knows to avoid.

    Like the one on my road that ate the counties road grader last week

    --
    -- I am the NRA, enough said...
  12. Time to start selling... by guruevi · · Score: 2, Funny

    Ad Space. I'm hardly home, so I don't care that much. But I'll start selling parts of the exterior wall for ad-space. They can photograph all they want, I don't care.

    --
    Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
  13. Oh Crap! by rthille · · Score: 3, Funny

    This article just made me realize that my neighbors can see the front of my house and even know when I leave and come back.

    Oh, my privacy! We need to outlaw neighbors...

    On the other hand, when I forget to close my garage door, one of the neighbors will probably keep an eye on the place to make sure no one walks off with stuff, and may even walk over and close it for me. Nice thing about having neighbors where you know their names...

    --
    Awesome furniture, accessories and cabinetry in Santa Rosa, CA: http://humanity-home.com/
  14. It's all part of the conspiracy. by bakahito · · Score: 2, Funny

    First they start taking pictures of every house in America and accessing blueprints and floor plans, then they're set. I know they're scheming for the day that they invade. After they have their pictures (which would be quite some time considering all the houses in America) they prepare their war plan and send in the roller troopers! Armed with M16s, Glock 9mms, and hockey sticks, they bring the war to the civilians.

    Their vile plan to get the information on our homes must be stopped!

    Viva la resistance!

  15. Don't leave, or I'll make you leave! by Heffenfeffer · · Score: 2, Funny

    So if you leave, they're going to make you leave?

  16. Re:+7 Spit Take by Brickwall · · Score: 2, Funny

    Someone objectionable?

    --
    What was once true, is no longer so
  17. Re:Enforcement != laws by chimpo13 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yes, because cops know the law. That's why they arrested the guy at Best Buy for spending a 2 dollar bill.

    --
    riding round the world on an old motorcycle
  18. I've been to pittsburgh by way2trivial · · Score: 2, Funny

    and you are right, the fact that you actually live there is fucked up.

    --
    every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
  19. Royalties? by AlbionTourgee · · Score: 3, Funny

    Hey, I think I own some of the design elements of my house. I don't see how they have the right to sell images of this without paying me a royalty. So, what about writing any of these services a short note letting them know that I don't consent to them using images of my house for their for-profit business. Well, actually, on second thought, I might consent if they're willing to pay me a royalty I consider sufficient. Okay, a man's home ain't his castle any more, but a man's design must still be copyrighted if Micky Mouse is!