Google introduced a new service last week called Street View, which zooms in and gives web gazers a view of streets in certain American cities. These views are comprised of millions of pictures that were taken by a van that roamed the streets.  Since these pictures have been put up, the web has been buzzing about whether this is great or whether this is an invasion of privacy.
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Those who think that it is an invasion of privacy think that taking pictures of you or your house shouldn’t be on the Internet unless you want them on there. One of the more vocal dissenters of this project is angry because in the picture of her apartment building, you can see her cat sitting in the second story window. Other people have suffered public embarrassment by Google’s Street View, being caught engaging in activities that can be considered offensive or embarassing.
Those who think that there is nothing wrong with this new project say that it gives users the exact same view as when they would be standing on the street looking around. You can see people doing embarrassing things walking around your town on a typical day, and if you are in public it should be fair game. Technically, it isn’t an invasion of privacy, because photographing something in public has historically been allowed by the law.¼br /> Â
What do you think? Would you be angry if you could see yourself walking around and doing something relatively harmless in your hometown, or do you think it is relatively benign?  Is Google’s Street View going to help thieves map out their next locations for their next burglary or help you find an address quickly and easily?
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