A couple of weeks ago Search Engine Journal covered the controversy behind Google StreetView and their Google Armada trespassing on private property and filming homes and the happenings on such property despite obvious no trespassing postings.
The story was about a small St. Paul Minnesota suburb named North Oaks, which is a private city of 4,500. In North Oaks, the community is owned by the residents and the streets are private property. Google Maps ignored the no trespassing ordinance, entered the private property, and then shot the entire community, leading NorthOaks to issue a demand that Google Maps remove images of the homes and locations shot from the private streets from Google Maps StreetView.
In the post, I had mentioned that I too live in a private community, albeit smaller, of 200 or so residents living in condos. Our community has postings on each entrance that state that the land is private property, the lanes are private lanes, there is to be no trespassing, trespassers can be prosecuted and that no businesses or traffic is allowed on the property without the consent of a resident.
At the time of the posting, I had noted that Google was intelligent enough to take warning to the notifications in my community, but over the weekend, I noticed that this was not the case.
Google Invaded My Property!
Google Maps has invaded the privacy of my private community, photographed properties from private lanes, photographed my automobile from private lanes and ignored NO TRESPASSING ordinances which are located throughout the community.
Google Maps has invaded the privacy of all 200 residents in our private community and I have caught Google trespassing!
Here is a video of the footage Google has taken of my private community and proof that they have ignored private property laws.
This is a major issue because Google is ignoring local laws, entering private property across the United States and filming that property without the permission of property owners.
- Why is Google ignoring No Trespassing laws when other businesses are expected to do so?
- Why is Google filming private property and expecting residents to opt-out instead of not trespassing in the first place?
- How long is it going to take for Google to risk the well being of their StreetView drivers? Is it going to wait until one is restrained by a property owner?
- Not every private property owner in the country is going to do a search for their property on Google Maps, so Google is getting away with a lot of this trespassing without the knowledge of owners.
- Private property is marked Private for a reason, be it children or dogs or residents looking for peace and quiet, is it Google’s agenda to break the privacy rights of these residents?
I will be sharing this documented invasion of privacy with the other owners in my community who will vote on whether or not to take action against Google and other similar services, it’s my responsibility to do so. Hopefully we’ll have an update next week.
Comments
32 responses so far ↓
df guy on Jun 17, 2008 at 9:59 am
dude, just sue the crap out of them. it’s sad, but this is the only thing that companies know or care about… money. i wouldn’t even give them a take down notice, i would just hire the biggest scum bag lawyer you could fine.
Chris Garrett on Jun 17, 2008 at 10:11 am
Hope someone in your community is a lawyer ;)
George on Jun 17, 2008 at 10:45 am
Yes, either that or just take a minute to wipe the sand out of your butt.
Take it easy dude, it’s not a threat to your privacy, use some common sense.
Loren Baker, Editor on Jun 17, 2008 at 10:57 am
@George “wipe the sand out of my butt”?
you don’t think that Google or another company trespassing onto private property which is clearly labeled as so and photographing the property is an issue?
George on Jun 17, 2008 at 11:04 am
@Loren - I’m sorry, it was a crude comment, I shouldn’t have phrased it that way. please accept my sincere apology.
The point I wanted to make is that I don’t think it’s an issue at all…are you offended that they ignored the sign, or do you genuinely feel your privacy has been compromised?
George on Jun 17, 2008 at 11:14 am
On second thought, I want to redact my comments anyway. The rant about the ice cream man and google thinking they’re better just sounds childish to me, but it’s not my property, and not my ‘rights’ bring infringed on, so it’s hard for me to have an opinion. Feel free to delete my comments.
Todd Mintz on Jun 17, 2008 at 11:40 am
Sure, it was wrong but I wouldn’t ascribe any evil to the act and I’m sure once the right people are notified, they’ll remove the content.
Joe on Jun 17, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I disagree with your perspective based on a few basic arguments you make:
* “Civil rights [...] to privacy”
There is not any laws or amendments that grant or secure privacy of property. Even if you invested in a sign or two that state “Private Property” or “No Trespassing” — it is ineffective, as evidenced by Google. A property owner may contact their local law enforcement to enforce trespassing laws in your area.
* “… threat to privacy [...] hours that people are home…”
It doesn’t risk anyone’s privacy by merely documenting the property. No criminal would rely on Google to learn when people are home or not.
* “Right to restrain [...] trespassers.”
Citizens Arrest does not include trespassing by itself. It allows citizens arrest if you observe a felony taking place — not misdemeanors.
—
I believe if you want to prevent video surveillance from the public, then install a gated entrance that requires an RFID. It would be reasonable that Google may make a U-turn and snap pictures of the other complex.
Again, Google isn’t violating your civil rights by merely driving down the street and recording snapshots of its findings. They may be violating local ordinances, but certainly not enough to prosecute with.
You may probably want to add “No photography” on the Private Property signs, so you can make a more compelling case against Google’s practices.
Personally, I wouldn’t care if someone sees a picture of my house. Of which, is public record anyhow under the FOIA.
I do agree that Google should respect private properties and not include them in their indexes, but I wouldn’t exactly call it illegal.
Jim on Jun 17, 2008 at 12:26 pm
This is a case of people that think they are better
than anyone else. It is a shame that the world has
came to this. Money as they said in the Older Days “The Root Of All Evil” What difference does it make if somebody takes a picture of yor home. According to the law it is not illegal to do it.
Joe on Jun 17, 2008 at 12:32 pm
I can imagine Loren getting out of his house for the Ice Cream truck passing through and hassling him for slinging some Drumsticks.
The purpose of the Street View is to give people a 3D visual of a road and neighborhood. It isn’t to violate people’s alleged privacy. I’d find many more things to rant about, than about this.
Loren Baker, Editor on Jun 17, 2008 at 1:38 pm
“The purpose of the Street View is to give people a 3D visual of a road and neighborhood.”
Right, but not of a private lane.
Actually, owners have issued an order to keep businesses like the ice cream man out of the area along with businesses distributing advertising and phone books, things along that nature.
Sure, in the video my opinion is taken to an extreme, but it is to prove a point. If you woke up one morning to find someone standing in your yard or driveway, and not the public road, snapping pictures of your home, what would be your reaction?
In this case, there is no difference.
Sushubh on Jun 17, 2008 at 1:42 pm
for google everything illegal is just fair use.
George on Jun 17, 2008 at 1:50 pm
“If you woke up one morning to find someone standing in your yard or driveway, and not the public road, snapping pictures of your home, what would be your reaction?
In this case, there is no difference.”
There is a difference, the van didn’t drive into your driveway and start snapping pictures of your house specifically. You’re still exaggerating the opinion even outside the video.
Loren Baker, Editor on Jun 17, 2008 at 1:57 pm
“the van didn’t drive into your driveway and start snapping pictures of your house specifically”
Yes, it did, but all of the places on the private driveway.
Sushubh on Jun 17, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Loren would be happy to see this…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/damianspain/2584019149/sizes/m/in/set-72157605643949010/
Loren Baker, Editor on Jun 17, 2008 at 2:49 pm
@Sushubh .. LOL.. don’t get me wrong, I LOVE StreetView, I think it’s an incredibly useful tool. But they really have to obey the law and not trespass on people’s personal property. Google is not above the law, and you can’t opt-out of the law.
Sushubh on Jun 17, 2008 at 2:53 pm
well i love it too. would love them to try indexing our streets. :)
MikeM on Jun 17, 2008 at 10:34 pm
They invaded your privacy Loren, period. People move into gated or private neighborhoods for a variety of reasons, one is for security.
I have no doubts whatsoever that theifs and burglars use Street View to case properties.
My years working with hard core juvenile delinquents on the county and state level lead to me to this conclusion.
If my charges/clients would have had this tool back then it would have been the talk of the detention center(s).
Google is kind enough to give the perps an overhead view as well as the street view.
Opt out should be easy and oft used.
Good luck Loren, Google overstepped here.
Jonathon on Jun 18, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Loren, I mean honestly. You may have a valid complaint that you don’t want your property featured on Google, and if you own all your own land then of course you can set rules about who is able to enter onto it. But having played about with Street View it’s clear that Google makes it SO easy to report this stuff, and from everything I’ve heard they react pretty quickly, so I’m simply bemused that you thought the best way of defending your privacy wasn’t to get the content discretely and quickly removed by Google, but to make a big splash on this site going on and on about it and showing everyone exactly where you live. If you were doing it to ‘make a point’ then in my mind that actually makes you worse than Google - did you get the permission of the other 199-or-so residents to flash their private details around like this. And lets face it, this is a project that requires people to drive around in cars all day with big old cameras on the roof. I’m sure Google’s not applying that 3.5 GPA to that hiring process, and your sign doesn’t look all that obvious to me. To err is human, to make such a song and dance about a simple human error is, well, I’ll let you decide.
Phil Pham on Jun 30, 2008 at 2:03 pm
That is a nice feature that google offer. let says, when you google an address, you don’t know what it will be like when you drive up there. Now with streetview, you will know a head what building/house you are expecting.
You guys just want to sue on everything. This country is working hard for the lawyers.
Those of you who suggest suing google, I hope one day someone will sue you.
David on Jul 2, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Loren, I agree with you 100%
Google would be pissed if I did a drive thru picture taking of their campus.
Didnt google get busted a while ago for posting copyrighted works.
The “ask for forgiveness instead of permission” is getting really old with them.
frank bennett on Jul 22, 2008 at 12:36 pm
suppose the government said no pictures of their land; like the Ocean or the Mountain ranges- what side would you be on then
Improve My Gas Mileage
John Lee on Jul 25, 2008 at 10:23 am
I hope with that private property, we don’t pay for your roads….
anthony.meinfreund on Jan 1, 2009 at 8:38 am
Hello Loren!If it wasn´t for Streetview.I wouldn´t have known that you even existed on this planet.Please be happy and enjoy your World wide moments of fame…thanks to Google!Happy New Year from Germany!
Colorodoan on Feb 26, 2009 at 12:14 am
I agree 100%. My lane is private - a new lane w/cul-de-sac. We are stuck with the asphalt maintenannce as the city pushed it on the builder. Eventually the HOA will need $$ for repaving. I do not want Google’s hired help on my street. My street view would show me at my laptop if the blind was up! Iwould stop them if I caught them. I am thinking rifle to the tire.If you want to start a large scale lawsuit then count me in. Say no know or this will eventually strip all your privacy. no action is a decision to let google walk on us.
Gabe on Mar 26, 2009 at 12:30 am
@Colorodoan - Wow, Just wow… Your response to this is by far the most violent. Because someone drives past your house and can see you on your laptop through your window gives you the right to pull out a gun and start firing out in the public eye. No care about your fellow neighbors, I put a bullet into googles car but don’t worry about that stray bullet that killed your neighbors son.
It’s renegade attitudes like yours that are bringing this country to an all time low not google.
Blake on Apr 1, 2009 at 1:01 pm
@Gabe - I agree that Colorodoan’s comment is a bit violent but makes for a good laugh, and should probably be taken as just that, a joke. His attitude is not one that poses a threat to our society today, there is a much larger and more serious threat in the complacency of our youth toward serious political thought and discussion. His opinion, tho violent, is an opinion that is protected under our constitution in this country. The actions of google are actions that are not protected under the constitution. The solution was brought up earlier that Google offers a simple way of solving the problem, ask them to remove the content. The problem with that however is that you must ask Google to remove content that was obtained illegally. Your asking the one who broke the law (knowingly) to give you your right to privacy back, whereas Google should be asking you if they can remove your right to privacy in the first place. @Phil Pham, I don’t wish to give up my rights to supply you with a “nice feature”, @ frank bennett, you speak of the government as if it were some abstract foreign entity beyond your control… we are the government, the government is a reflection of the wishes of the people. The only was it could tell us not to take pictures of “their property” would be for us to tell ourselves we cannot photograph our own property… I’m not following your logic here. @ Loren, I agree you should bring this suit to court but make it different than all other cases like this one. Don’t try to “hit Google where it hurts” and sue for huge damages, instead sue for an injunction to have Google stop photographing private property and pay fines whenever private property is found to be photographed… responses are welcomed and hoped for :)
Rod Flemming on Apr 23, 2009 at 12:20 pm
1 month ago I ordered google to remove my pictures from street view. To this day nothing has changed. where can I enforce this or speed up the process?
Shawn Donnille on Apr 27, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I feel many points are being overlooked and many people are approaching this issue from a position of indifference….. bad move.
1.Consent- The issue here is publishing my person and effects through a public medium. Due etiquette which we all tacitly understand tells us that if you intend to capture someone’s image or an image of their property and publish it through a revenue generating medium, then consent is called for.
2. Privacy- If you are within the boundaries of your own private property, this is a PRIVATE domain and NOT a public one. Therefore no person has the right to capture another’s image on their own private property without consent or permission. Of course the argument is “what do you want me to do, close my eyes when I walk past your property?” Of course this will elicit my firm response of NO, however I will apprehend you if you start taking pictures of me, making an inventory of my belongings, and publish them through a public medium whose sole intent is to generate income.
3. Trespassing- Google has trespassed countless times and the proof of this is obviously photographed. Private property rules outlined by local and state ordinances exist for a reason….. to promote the safety, security, privacy and solace of the owners. Each person on this planet is faced with civil penalties in the event that they wantonly disobey private property boundaries and trespass at will, and the same shall be expected of any corporation including Google and its street-view driving team. I am mainly making this point for those who live on private drives or in rural areas.
4. Another argument being raised is that there are cameras throughout the world and these are no different. My point exactly! I do not appreciate cameras in shopping malls, gas stations, street corners, etc., and I confess that I find this to be a painful exhibition and by no means flattering to the national standard of honesty, honor and trust. We all have the inherent right to pass through this world without having our pictures taken, movements recorded, and civic outings archived through a camera. The ubiquitous presence of cameras implies to all of us that we are not to be trusted, we must fear for our safety and above all- you’re being watched, so maintain good behavior and for god’s sake don’t pick your nose!
5. Use by employers- In numerous states discrimination lawsuits were filed because potential employers would drive past the private residences of potential new hires. The purpose? If the house was a slum, unkempt or plain disgusting then this would obviously reflect the character of the person applying for a job. Google street views make this all too easy and without any way of the potential employer being caught in the act.
PS
1984 is a chilling a true tale of a dystopic world watched and levied by controlling powers. The generation succeeding the publishing of this book in 1949 completely understood this and acted accordingly. We now live in an era of wanton diversions, mindless entertainments, and relentless white noise which makes us numb to the very ideas analyzed in this book. Turn off the TV, read the book and digest the world for what it is becoming.
August on Apr 29, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Mr. Baker,
I can see that you are now unhappy to learn that the internet is more of a public place than you anticipated, and that your street and residence have appeared through a generic “indexing” of streets.
I would like to point out that you have given up your privacy to the public internet years ago. You already know how the public internet works since you’ve “been involved in the search engine marketing field since 1998.” You’ve made no effort to hide your identity which makes you rather easy to find. From the information you have FREELY provided here, anyone can search Yahoo and find your entire name, email, address, phone number, company, photographs, and more. It is also easy to find your favorite nearby restaurant for Japanese sashimi.
If you want to pursue your privacy issues retroactively, I suggest you change your login names, take down the articles and sites you control, make your own domain information private, stop posting helpful reviews and blog postings, etc. You also should figure out how to remove yourself from 411.com, domaintools, old profiles (like yahoo), and anywhere else you left evidence of yourself. As far as I can figure, it can’t be done this late in the game.
With Yahoo I can find directions to your residence, and see a public map of your streets. With Microsoft Live, I can see a very clear picture of your street and residence (from above). I’m sure I could also drive over to your residence without raising suspicion or breaking the law. Google has good info too, but for the sake of your singling them out, I avoided using it in this interesting research. Though you have an interesting claim, I doubt that merely photographing the FRONT of your house is much worse that what can be found elsewhere on the internet.
P.S. I’m glad you are contributing to the public internet with blogs and consumer recommendations. It makes it a better (and more interesting) place for everyone.
BTW, I was searching for something unrelated to your post and this article popped up. Your story was interesting enough to do the research and provide you that helpful advice.
One pissed mother! on Jun 18, 2009 at 9:55 pm
Useful tool! For who the pot smoking, alcohol drinking, 12 year old boy who keeps stalking my 10 year old daughter. I was told by some of the other children in the neighborhood that this boy found the exact house we live in because he purposely looked it up on Google Street view. Now I have to go visit the police department and get a restraining order against this delinquent who should be in a detention center and not walking the streets of my neighborhood looking for my daughter playing with her friends. Now he knows where we live. Thanks so much Google. Glad to know you asked my permission to photograph my house so that anyone interested in staking my 10 year old now can be waiting for her at my house when she comes home from school! So Google you’ll be hearing very soon from my lawyer.
Michael Lohr on Jul 3, 2009 at 2:28 pm
The world is just full of crybabys…
whaaa Their are pictures of my house whaaaa
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