Google’s Street View photo-mapping tool cleared by the UK’s privacy watchdog

Google’s Street View photo-mapping tool, which has attracted controversies, has been handed the all clear signal by the UK’s privacy watchdog.

The Street View photo-mapping system takes images of streets and later adds them to online maps to allow user to see what locations actually look like. The project drew sharp criticism from host privacy campaigners who expressed worry over a probable breach of data protection laws.

However, the Information Commissioner stated it was ‘satisfied’ that Google had put in place necessary safeguards to avoid risking anyone’s safety or privacy. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) mentioned in a statement, ‘it had requested a further meeting with the firm to discuss Street View prior to launch of the service.

It stated the safeguards like blurring faces and registration plates were enough to allay worries regarding privacy.

The statement noted:

Although it is possible that in ‘certain limited circumstances’ an image may allow an individual’s identification, it is clear that Google are keen only to capture images of streets and not individuals.

The time elapsed between snapping the images and then putting it up on the web meant it could not be employed as a tracking tool, it concluded.

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