11 July 2008
British newspaper brands Google StreetView ‘almost criminal’
Today the British newspaper, The Daily Mail, launched an attack on Google for their decision to expand Google StreetView into the UK using what the paper calls "the Google spy car". Sounds like something out of James Bond.
According to the newspaper, critics say that Google StreetView will be a ‘burglar’s charter’ making it easy for criminals to check out potential victims. One piece of commentary in the paper (by A N Wilson) has the headline, ‘AN INVASION THAT’S ALMOST CRIMINAL’ explaining that with StreetView we can go "direct to your own door - or indeed to anyone else’s door" which apparently is great news for "snoopers, stalkers, peeping Toms and burglars".
The writer goes on to say that he doesn’t like the fact that Google record searches and use that information for marketing purposes.
"Because of the profiles built up by Google, we are now every day by cold-call telephone sales and by online intrusions."
Quite shockingly, the writer even likens using Google’s search engine to the experience of visiting a shop in a foreign country and feeling threatened by the vendors who will…
"pursue us down the alleys, tugging at our elbow and begging us to buy a carpet, or some other object of merchandise…and it is nice to get home, and to feel that shopping in the ‘civilised’ world is all a little different."
I’m sure I don’t need to explain at why this article as quite possibly the most ridiculous article I’ve ever read and quoting more might only serve to create more controversy…trust me, it’s terrible.
So, anyone care to set the Daily Wail straight? Or perhaps you agree?