Google’s Street View seems like a great idea—give users of its Google maps product a street-level view of a location so they can more easily find their way around. But the service has engendered all manners of privacy complaints, particularly from individuals who claim they can be identified from photos appearing on the service. The latest brouhaha is in Japan, where Google has quietly announced it will reshoot all photographs used in its Street View mapping service using lower camera angles. Google will lower the cameras on its imaging vehicles by 40 cm (about 16 inches) after numerous complaints they were invading citizens’ privacy by shooting impacts over the fences of private homes.
