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Google's Street View Meets Resistance In France

Ian Lamont writes "Google has begun to scan the streets of Paris as part of its Street View service, but the company may be hindered from publishing them unedited. The reason? French privacy laws. Google may be forced to blur faces or use low-resolution versions of the photographs. The Embassy of France in the US has a page devoted to French privacy laws, that says the laws are needed to 'avoid infringing the individual's right to privacy and right to his or her picture (photograph or drawing), both of them rights of personality.'"

7 of 201 comments (clear)

  1. When in Rome... by NoobixCube · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Or in this case, Paris. The law is the law, and Google need to respect the local laws. They do it in China, with their censored Google, so I can't imagine them putting up too much of a fight against French privacy laws.

    --
    Admit it. You post strawman arguments as AC so you get modded Insightful for refuting them, rather than Troll
    1. Re:When in Rome... by kc8apf · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If they are hiring people to drive vehicles outfitted with cameras around Paris, I would assume they have a business presence there. I'd expect them to follow French laws when doing business in France.

      --
      kc8apf
    2. Re:When in Rome... by rob1980 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If you're in another country, you obey that country's laws. Doesn't matter if you're a U.S.-based company taking 30 zillion pictures to post on the internet or you're a tourist on your honeymoon.

    3. Re:When in Rome... by Slorv · · Score: 4, Insightful

      (Obligatory: You must as american right?)

      Perfect! - So when I as a swede set up the new Piratebay in new York I only has to worry about swedish laws? - Grrrrrrreat!

      Come on, you follow the laws in the country you're in - it's that easy.

      --
      Bikers.....The only people that understand why a dog hangs his head out a car window.
  2. Re:Easily contourné by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So if you break US IP law in a country like say, Australia, you can be extradited and shipped for trial/prosecution in the US. But you have no problem with breaking French law by placing the servers inside the US?

    IE - USA! USA! USA! We'll do whatever we want, only when it suits us.

    Those days are over, mon ami.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  3. Not resistance, but law! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    " Google's Street View Meets Resistance in France"

    It is not resistance, it is the french law.

    As a French citizen, I find the Slashdot title offensive.

    Paris is the capital of a free sovereign country, France, which has its own Constitution and legal system, which is not the US ones!

    The title implies that american law should prevail everywhere! No! France is not a US colony.

    I am sure that most american (& french) citizens would expect French coorporations (e.g. Thales, Air Liquide, ...) to obey American laws on the American soil (e.g. Washington D.C.)

    Why should it be different for Google (an american coorporation) in France?

    1. Re:Not resistance, but law! by PieceofLavalamp · · Score: 4, Insightful

      No where does it say that Google expects immunity to french laws. The summary says it will have to edit them to comply with french laws. Meaning there is an impediment to the publishing. A resistance to publishing. Now if they don't edit the photos then you can object and I encourage you to but right now your just beating your patriotic chest. And theres nothing wrong with that, though i don't understand how thats +5 insightful.