Google Street View causes a stir in Cheltenham
The roving eye of Google's Street View camera has been out and about in St Mark's.
Residents spotted the van in the area this week, capturing images for the website's extensive mapping programme.
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The site features photographs of every street in towns which have been "mapped" by Google's mysterious-looking cars with blacked-out windows.
People living in St Mark's had mixed views on whether or not they were in favour of their homes, gardens – and even themselves – being caught on camera.
Jess Cave, who lives in Spenser Road, gave it the thumbs up.
She said: "I think it's only a bit of fun so I don't really mind. I don't feel like I'm being spied on and I'm not bothered by it.
"I'm sure I'll be checking it out when it goes online."
Student Cindie Taylor, who is looking to move into the area, said it would help her to look at houses.
She said: "I love it and I'll be checking it out when they put it up on the web.
"I'll be able to see what places are like when I'm looking for somewhere to live."
Pensioner Margaret Slack was also in favour. She said: "I'm not bothered at all by it. I've got nothing to hide so why not."
However Cheralyn Rendall, who lives in Shakespeare Road, said: "It's an invasion of privacy. It just seems pointless. I can't really understand the reason behind it.
"I've got young kids and I wouldn't want them to be looked at on the internet through this."
Lucie Bennett, who also lives in Spenser Road, said: "If my daughter was out playing in the garden and it caught her on camera I wouldn't like that.
"I think they should tell people beforehand what they're going to do rather than just turn up when they choose."
Pensioner Michael Poppleton said: "It's an invasion of privacy and if they caught me on camera I'd be asking them to remove it."
Beverley Fennel, who lives just off Shakespeare Road, agreed.
She said: "I'm not against CCTV for people's safety but this seems like too much of an invasion of privacy.
"It's not going to really benefit anyone, so what's the point? People have a right to do what they want in their homes and gardens without a camera coming past and taking a picture."
The system allows people to search for 360-degree pictures of "virtual" streets.
It's not yet known when the coverage will be complete and available to view online.
Residents concerned over privacy can ask for their faces to be blurred out, via the Street View website.
33 Comments
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by gordon, hatfield , herts
Thursday, September 10 2009, 12:09PM
“your camera`passed me as i was visiting cheltenham & i`ve
just been waiting to see my self
on google vain or what. any how i think google earth is fantastic keep up the good work”
by Adam Scarborough, cheltenham
Saturday, June 20 2009, 2:28AM
“Strangely enough public behavior is public, i have a right to walk down any street in britain (so long as it is not private property) and take as many pictures as i want of whatever i want. It is part of having a free press and not a dictatorship/police state. The face blurring used by on google is not required by any uk law. If you want privacy, close your curtains, close your door and never leave your house, We have no right to privacy on public property, the moment i leave my house my behavior is no longer soley my own business. As for criminals trying to scope out houses for burglery you could do that in a car at any time. Most of them dont have two brain cells to rub together let alone use google (which could be out of date anyway).
Adam Scarborough MSc (Network Comms)”
by John, London
Friday, May 29 2009, 11:07AM
“A big round of applause to all of you that do not want to see technology or the human race improve with new ideas and systems. You really should just stay inside and live your tiny little lives so no-one can ever bother you. Can you not see that this is a very useful tool for people to help find their way, research the best places of interest to visit and do that most human thing of all; feed your curious side of yourselves and just look around?
As for those that are saying that it will be used for thefts and burglaries for finding access and hiding places. Well, you know you can do that already? Strange how using your feet and eyes for doing a reconnaissance for such things can lead to the exact same outcome. If you so wish to be taking into those criminal activities. Oh, and actually, the same goes for those paedophile comments (that is with a 'ph', not an 'f' - you would have thought that you may be able to spell a bit better having a world famous Literature Festival, but oh well). It is actually a lot easierfor someone and take their own pictures without the faces blurred out if one wishes to do that with their own camera.
I am off to Cheltenham today, I might actually go and do what one post suggests, but take a picture of all those that have complained (oh and stupidly given their road name away - concenred about privicy/ You lost your argument giving that away, silly!) and post all my pictures (avec faces) to a commonly available picture sharing site like flickr. So, see yourselves there!”
by David, Gloucester
Thursday, May 28 2009, 6:09PM
“One of these was going round Quedgeley this week. We waved from the office windows!”
by David, Gloucester
Thursday, May 28 2009, 6:08PM
“Steve wrote:
"The nicest parts of Cheltenham have been pedestrianised anyway, so won't even appear on Google."
Hasn't he seen pictures of the Google tricycle? Specially designed for pedestrian areas!”