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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."

9 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 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
    2. 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
    3. 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. 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!
  3. Awwww by DeadPanDan · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.