Google to Obey State’s Privacy Laws

 

"Google it!" A new verb to the English language, officiated by its entry to the Merriam Webster Collegiate Dictionary and the Oxford English Dictionary in 2006. It's meaning, "to use the Google search engine to obtain information on the Internet"² has revolutionized the way American's obtain information for personal and work related inquiries. Since its incorporation in 1998, Google, Inc. has expanded its web-searching services to include image searching, Google News, Google Finance, Google Docs and Spreadsheets, and Google Maps. Google Maps has changed the way America's cities are explored by tourists and residences, alike.

 

Google's pursuit, "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful,"² has awarded the company great success. But, has Google, Inc. applied its mission too literally with thev recent launch of Street View? The innovation provides 360° panoramic street-level images of fifteen major US cities, including Chicago, Las Angeles, Las Vega, New York City, Miami, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Huston and surrounding metropolitan areas. Google plans to expand Street View by adding seven US cities and Canada. As expansion grows northern, Canada's authorities on privacy have expressed concern with the application of Google's Street View to Canada. Privacy Commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart expressed in a statement, "if the Street View application were deployed in Canada, it might not comply with our federal privacy legislation." ² Canada's current privacy laws require knowledge, consent, and limited collection and use of personal information. Personal information such as license plate numbers, physical identities and locations are clearly visible and widely published on Google's Street View without the consent of individuals depicted and identified.

 

US privacy laws are less strict; Google's practices are completely legal in this country. Luckily, the corporation used good sense and removed photos of domestic violence shelters before Street View's launch earlier this year. Also, people may request review of a questionable image with inappropriate or sensitive imagery. If claims are founded, Google removes or alters the image. That is, after and if the subject is aware of an intrusion.

 

Recently, Google has promised to adhere to the local privacy laws where Street View is available. The corporation released a statement assuring its compliance and its willingness to blur images to adhere to privacy regulations. "The service will look different in Canada than it does in the United States. And that probably means blurring identifiable faces and license plates."¹ But, is PhotoShop the answer? People are identifiable by other means such as clothing and location. Furthermore, what is "unidentifiable" to one may easily be downloaded and clarified to another. It may be impossible for Google to guarantee the protection of Canadian citizen identities. Fortunately, Canada is more interested in whether or not Google takes reasonable actions to protect personally identifiable information.

 

 

1. CDS News. Street View will comply with Canada's privacy laws: Google. http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/09/25/tech-google-streetview.html
   
2. Wikipedia-Google. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google
   
3. Wikipedia-Google Street View. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Maps#_note-25