GooglePlex

Soon you will be able to view your house from street level as well as from a satelite directly above. Some people have privacy issues with this concept.

Google Maps under fire for ignoring privacy

ninemsn

Internet search giant Google has been accused of ignoring people's privacy while taking photos for a new online mapping project. Cars with roof-mounted cameras have been traversing Australia's capital cities since late last year, snapping panoramic still images of homes and buildings on every public street.

But fears have arisen that Google's Street View in Australia will expose private homes, vehicle number plates or residents unwittingly caught in embarrassing situations.

Australian Privacy Foundation chair Roger Clarke told ninemsn he was concerned by what he described as Google's lack of public consultation over its Street View project.

"The company blithely and arrogantly carries on as if they have the freedom of a US corporation to do whatever they dam_n well like and don't feel any need to talk to a cross-section of the public," he said. "This is a systemic approach to peering into other people's windows on a scale that's never been done before ... and it will lead to some unnecessary problems because of Google's unpreparedness to confront privacy issues".

The search giant is already being sued by one US couple for breach of privacy after photos of their home appeared online, despite their street being clearly marked with a private road sign.

Other highlights include a man entering an adult video store (video store ), two students sunbaking at Stanford University and a female revealing her black g-string as she gets in her pickup truck.

But Google Australia spokesman Rob Shilkin said Australians have nothing to fear about Street View.

"We're not going to launch the product unless it fully complies with Australian law," he said, adding that none of the cars in Australia will be travelling on private roads.

"We're also working on ways to ensure any faces captured will not be identified and licence plates will not be identifiable."

Mr Shilkin said the feature had been a huge success in the US and Australia was one of the first countries outside the States to be receiving it, with cars mounted with special cameras traversing Australia's capital cities since summer.

"We just want to help people find out about their cities and neighbourhoods," he said.

Google says users can flag sensitive images for review and removal by Google, but critics say the damage is often done by the time that happens.

Gawd, I'd better pull the cobwebs from the lawnmower and mow the dust...

(For those outside of Oz - we are currently in heavy water restrictions, including no watering of lawns.)

It's not April the first, is it?

Google Earth has been talking about improving the 3D effects (buildings, etc). If you go to Google Earth, a good example of the potential is if you get your aspect into the valleys in the Swiss Alps. Great stuff. Photographic 3D buildings in cities would be a significant step forward. Google zooming through cities at a certain aspect would be like taking a ride on a Persian carpet.

Fun and creepy, whose readly to live in a sci-fi movie?

It's like virtual tour type imagery. You will be able to zoom into any point, on any street thats been included, and control the view with your mouse. Full 360 degrees and zoom.

The potential applications are endless.

This is unbelievable!

Gawd, I'd better pull the cobwebs from the lawnmower and mow the dust...

(For those outside of Oz - we are currently in heavy water restrictions, including no watering of lawns.)

Yeah, we found the water too costly to provide, so the convicts are now only getting dry bread from HM.

You have the longest coastline of any country in the world - drink it and stop you whinging.

Gawd, I'd better pull the cobwebs from the lawnmower and mow the dust...

(For those outside of Oz - we are currently in heavy water restrictions, including no watering of lawns.)

Yeah, we found the water too costly to provide, so the convicts are now only getting dry bread from HM.

You have the longest coastline of any country in the world - drink it and stop you whinging.

I thought that honour went to Canada. At least the Canadians have ice to go with their water.

Are we still feeding those dam_n convicts? Gadzooks old chap, send another gunboat!

Gawd, I'd better pull the cobwebs from the lawnmower and mow the dust...

(For those outside of Oz - we are currently in heavy water restrictions, including no watering of lawns.)

Yeah, we found the water too costly to provide, so the convicts are now only getting dry bread from HM.

You have the longest coastline of any country in the world - drink it and stop you whinging.

I thought that honour went to Canada. At least the Canadians have ice to go with their water.

Are we still feeding those dam_n convicts? Gadzooks old chap, send another gunboat!

Really??

I'll sue that Discovery channel I will!

It depends on how you measure it!

I'll have you lot know that my family were free settlers!

New Aussie PM, K-Rudd, has just proudly announced his ancestors were convicts.

He also let the world know he is a committed republican, just before his meeting with the British Queen.

Yes he could do with a lesson or two in diplomacy.

Perhaps Ruddy will declare Britain terra nullius

I'll have you lot know that my family were free settlers!

ALL convicts had FREE passage, Ping.

The sheep too.

No need to be ashamed......

555 Sheep? The sheep here are contented and graze quietly on the pastures. In New Zealand, they're nervous and wear runners.

It will be interesting to see how the Au privacy laws are used here.

(There are more sheep in Yass shire than there are in NZ. Don't tell the Kiwis)

It depends on how you measure it!

Yes, that's what I told her too.

(There are more sheep in Yass shire than there are in NZ. Don't tell the Kiwis)

I think NOT.

Only thing Yass is famous for is...... Banjo Patterson's.....

Once a Jolly Swagman..........

We all know what he did with sheep.

The first Sheep were landed in New Zealand by Captain Cook in 1773.

The Sheep population grew to 70.3 million in 1982 but has now declined to 43.1 million

Australia has in excess of 110 million sheep or roughly 10% of the world sheep population

China has most sheep.

The finest and most sought after merino wool is NZ grown.

Don't tell the Ockors that.

To keep the thread.....

How many sheep in Thailand?

How many sheep in Thailand?

Millions, if you are talking about the ones that can vote.

How many sheep in Thailand?

Millions, if you are talking about the ones that can vote.

Taddies on fire!

Judging by the price of lamb and relative rarity of it, I'd suggest not many in Thailand, Pete. Perhaps an opportunity for an enterprising young farmer in the north west?

How many sheep in Thailand?

Millions, if you are talking about the ones that can vote.

Thems, Lemmings, Thaddy

Lemmings. Reminds me of lamingtons. I haven't had a lammy for a long, long time. I don't recall seeing any in Phuket, either. Then again, when I first went to Phuket, donuts, meat pies and battered fish and chips were unheard of as well. I may stand corrected on the pies, because the Expat Hotel had this thing they called a meat pie, but it was the shape of a thatched hut (complete with eaves - where the top crust extended beyond the base crust) and filled with vegies and very little meat. Awful.

Sound awful!

Exactly!

Taddies on fire!

Am I, I wondered what the smell was.

An interesting image...