Canadian Concern About Google Street View

So we all love the mapping technology that has emerged over the last couple of years. Who hasn’t spent too much checking out Google Earth?

But where do you draw the line in terms of being able to the GPS and mapping technology to get a view of the world? Google’s Street View service has been in the middle of the controversy spotlight since its introduction, mostly because it lets you see people, houses, etc. at the street level in stunning detail. Does Google or any other mapping company have the right to highlight peoples’ activtiy?

Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, is concerned that Google may be violating Canadian laws that protect a person’s individual privacy. Stoddart wrote Google last month asking for more details about Street View before it is introduced in Canada. The Canadian images will come from Immersive Media Corp.

For more, check out this Reuters story as well as well as Andy Beal, who points out that while Google is working to blur peoples’ faces on Street View, it is only doing so when asked.