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After Modifications, Google Street View Approved For Switzerland
An anonymous reader writes "Since Google began collecting Street View data in Europe a few years ago, many countries have taken it the company to court in order to settle privacy concerns. The NY Times reports that the last challenge to Street View's basic legality has been resolved. Switzerland's top court accepted that Google could only guarantee they would blur out 99% of faces, license plates, and other identifying markers, but also imposed some additional restrictions. 'Those conditions would require Google to lower the height of its Street View cameras so they would not peer over garden walls and hedges, to completely blur out sensitive facilities like women's shelters, prisons, retirement homes and schools, and to advise communities in advance of scheduled tapings.'"
The law regarding this type of thing here in Switzerland drives me crazy.
Then campaign to repeal privacy laws, or emigrate - perhaps to the US? I hear they grant a huge level of privacy to the government, and no-one else.
You are out in public, you should have no expectation of privacy. Period, end of story.
Well, with words like "should", "period" and "end of story" you sure do make a convincing argument.
Here's my take: you want to store and process data involving other people's identity (including their homes), you obtain their permission. If you try to make money doing that without permission, expect the courts to force you to compensate those whose permission you have not sought.
What is next? Legislating that no one can look at anyone else in public?
No. Do what you want with your own brain. But you have no property rights over data involving other people's identity, which means you don't get to store, process or distribute such data.
I am all for private data staying private, but when I am out in public, it is, get this: public information.
Define "out in public". Because, to me, I have rights unless I give them up. And I don't give them up merely by walking somewhere which you have decided implies that I give them up. That's the tyrant's way.
"By daring to move from your house, you should have no expectation of the following rights. Period, end of story."