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Google Begins Blurring Faces In Street View

Posted by kdawson on from the middle-ground-in-range-of-both-sides'-fire dept.

mytrip notes a News.com article reporting that Google has begun blurring faces in its Street View service, which has spawned privacy concerns since its introduction last year. Google has been working for a couple of years to advance the state of the art of face recognition. Quoting News.com: 'The technology uses a computer algorithm to scour Google's image database for faces, then blurs them, said John Hanke, director of Google Earth and Google Maps, in an interview at the Where 2.0 conference...' Google wrote about the program in their Lat/Long blog."

23 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Kudos to Google! by Colonel+Korn · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's been awhile since a Google post on Slashdot has focused on the company improving our privacy. Good work!

    --
    "I zero-index my hamsters" - Willtor (147206)
    1. Re:Kudos to Google! by Em+Adespoton · · Score: 4, Funny

      Well, I don't know... the one about blanking out maps of China sure seems to improve privacy.

    2. Re:Kudos to Google! by wattrlz · · Score: 3, Funny

      They let Chinese people read /. ? (just a joke in case anyone is itching to use some mod points.)

    3. Re:Kudos to Google! by njcoder · · Score: 5, Funny

      Well, most people could probably care less about faces. As long as stuff like this shows up from time to time.

      --
      Open Source Java DAO Generator
    4. Re:Kudos to Google! by DreamingReal · · Score: 5, Funny

      I agree completely. That was taken across the street from my Dad's house. I think I really need to visit my old man more often.

      --
      We want some answers and all that we get
      Some kind of shit about a terrorist threat
      - Ministry
    5. Re:Kudos to Google! by njcoder · · Score: 5, Funny

      They may have to develop a new recognition tool Yes!

      to blur things like that. No!
      --
      Open Source Java DAO Generator
  2. blurred post! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    jngpu gurz hfr fbzr erirefvoyr zrgubq yvxr ebg13, gubfr abbof

  3. Public? by R2.0 · · Score: 1, Funny

    Because, you know, the LAST thing I want to happen when I'm out on a public street is to be seen by anyone.

    --
    "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly." A. Carlson
  4. Blurred beyond recognition? by DaveM753 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Damn...there goes my 15 minutes of fame.

  5. Re:What privacy concerns? by Moridineas · · Score: 5, Funny

    My understanding is that people in public should have no expectations of privacy. Or is that just a U.S. thing? Actually, in the rest of the more civilized world, you're not allowed to look at people without their permission. Just one more way in which the US is lagging behind!
  6. Awwww by DeadPanDan · · Score: 5, Funny

    They should have used Laughing Man logos. You blew it Google.

    1. Re:Awwww by wattrlz · · Score: 2, Funny

      Methinks they were waiting for 04-01-2009

  7. Other applications? by Digestromath · · Score: 4, Funny

    Could these enhanced algorithms be used to blur the faces of the hideous women I bring home from the bar? If not in real time, I'll accept them being blurred in my memory.

    1. Re:Other applications? by thereofone · · Score: 3, Funny

      Try improving your Alcohol algorithm, I hear the Tequila sets work very well but you might have to apply Lime and Salt.

  8. Slashdot has this story totally wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Google isn't blurring faces in the photos, but is actually blurring people's faces. Somehow, the Googlebotmobile blurs peoples' faces as it drives by, and so far no one has figured out a way to undo it.

  9. Re:Anonymity by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yah, I too live in a small town that Google Street View will never get to. But what I really like about our little town is how much personality it has! I mean, just the other day I saw a couple of college kids driving around down in a little car with this big metal pole with a weird round black thing on top of it sticking out the middle of the roof . Those crazy kids! Must've been some weird fraternity prank or something.

  10. Invisible watchers... by argent · · Score: 5, Funny

    Because, you know, the LAST thing I want to happen when I'm out on a public street is to be seen by millions of invisible people hiding in the Google van.

    O HI, I FIXED UR POST, KTHX.

  11. I'm so relieved! by dsouza42 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Looks like Google also cares a about horse privacy. That's really great! I woudn't want anyone recognizing my horse if he's caught doing something embarassing out in the street.

    1. Re:I'm so relieved! by ChocoBean · · Score: 3, Funny

      The Google Algorithm obvious has mistaken the horse's face for Sarah Jessica Parker's.

    2. Re:I'm so relieved! by nephillim · · Score: 4, Funny

      That was Sarah Jessica Parker you insensitive clod!

  12. Do you have difficulty with multiple choice exams? by hobbit · · Score: 4, Funny

    Q: Option A or option B?
    A: Yes.

    --
    "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something" - Plato
  13. Internet out in bufftuck? by tepples · · Score: 4, Funny

    And the dial-up Internet access?

  14. Why blurr? Use mine for free! by Serindipidude · · Score: 4, Funny

    Don't waste CPU cycles blurring the image. Just past my face over everyone else's. I don't mind at all! Anyway, people who don't want to be recognised in public should know better that to leave home not wearing a burka.