UK residents fear burglary crime wave planned through Google Street View

Posted on 15 Mar 2010 at 13:40

A recent survey has unveiled that more than half of us believe that Google Street View is an intrusion on our private lives, while 24 per cent believe that burglars can use it to plan robberies.

Discount code website My Voucher Codes UK interviewed 1,317 people in the UK to find out their perceptions of Google's service after it went nationwide last week.

The main cause for concern was that most people believed that the service was an intrusion of their privacy. People also found it frustrating that Google never consulted with them or asked permission to use images.

A large number (24 per cent), also thought that the service could be used by burglars to scope out properties from the safety of their homes. Fears are likely to be compounded by the cars that Google uses to take its images, which have cameras mounted on tall poles that can look over high fences and reveal details that normal passers-by would not be able to see.

The Police have been quick to quash any fears people may have and have stated that there's no evidence that Google Street View is being used by criminals to plan robberies or any increase in crime as a direct result of the service.

For its part Google has said that anyone that wants their property or image removed from Street View should use the dedicated link on the service.

Author: David Ludlow

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