Lamron
Benevolent Dictator
Posts: 5,225
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Post by Lamron on May 8, 2008 2:40:27 GMT -5
What do you guys think about Google's Street Level View? You can stalk people from the comfort of your own home now. This is my house. I can zoom in and move around to different angles on two sides of my house for a detailed view. Is this too much info, too easily available? As you look at these pictures, think about what they tell you about me. You can see what kind of neighborhood I live in, you can make guesses about my income level, you can tell if I take care of my yard, you can see what I have in the backyard, you can see if I have any remodeling projects going on, etc. Are you comfortable with everyone having this information about you? I'm using myself as an example here, but these detailed pictures where taken without my consent and made available by Google to everyone in the world. Looks like the satellite picture is about 2.5 years old, and the street level pictures were taken late last summer.      |
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Post by Sgt_Blueberry on May 8, 2008 7:33:29 GMT -5
I knew about Google earth but I did not know that it has been upgraded to show street level view of someones address. I don't like it. It scares me a little bit. However, I don't know if it scares me because someone can do that or if it is because NO one asked my permission to make it available... How do you feel about it Lamron?  |
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Post by vinsanity on May 8, 2008 8:34:50 GMT -5
I for one see no valid reason for the service to exist to the general public. That said, as a former skip tracer/recovery agent I really would have liked this information a lot! The ability to see where I was going beforehand would have been very useful. For law enforcement I would be all for it, but for anyone with an Internet hookup to have it seems dangerous. Even as a real estate broker, who could use this service to my advantage, I see no reason for it. I have a digital camera and can get images I would need that way WITH owner consent. Frankly the psychos of the world now have a new tool. Street Level View is not available in my area, but a clear picture of my rural neighborhood is available... tinyurl.com/4csolf |
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Death's Shadow
LPmember
I have become Death. The destroyer of worlds.
Posts: 3,184 
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Post by Death's Shadow on May 8, 2008 12:45:10 GMT -5
I do not like it. There are many ways this service could be abused. Makes it fairly easy for thieves to shop for a house they think would be good to hit. As mentioned already, a new tool for nut cases to stalk people.
Thankfully they do not have the street level view of my place yet. I wonder if you contacted them if they would remove your house from their site. Probably not, but may be worth a try.
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Pvt._Michaels
LPmember
AMERICA......it was nice while it lasted.
Posts: 365
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Post by Pvt._Michaels on May 8, 2008 13:43:19 GMT -5
I sure don't think it's necessary or appropriate either.
If I see rental cars with lots of antennas I prefer to use my .30-.30, scoped.
If I see them while I'm mowing I use my 1950 Ithaca 12 ga. pump. with steel shot.
These cars usually have a pair of total geeks in them, giggling to themselves while
uploading pictures of the hood. Idiots.....
In actual fact, an address in the ghetto of Chicago was recently Google street mapped.
The images contained real snaps of a gang banger shooting in progress. Don't know if they got him. However, it was living proof that Hizonner's gun ban was working just fine for criminals.
The Pvt.
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Post by Urumii-Previously ThePresident on May 8, 2008 15:15:21 GMT -5
I think for the average person, it is a very cool thing. I've spend awhile just "driving" down my usual roads... but I do agree that it can be, and probably is being used by criminals. I believe google does have a way to remove your address from the street view pic. I've read up on this issue elsewhere also, and seem to remember that being an option.
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Killer_Monkey
New Member
Even a creepy little undead Monkey can kill!!
Posts: 199
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Post by Killer_Monkey on May 8, 2008 19:10:49 GMT -5
CRRREEEEEEPPPPYYYYYY!!!! (but the one plus is I can see what my crushes house looks like(too bad I don't have his address) oh well) but still that is really creepy
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Post by Lost_Child on May 8, 2008 20:02:19 GMT -5
Big Brother from all over the World can look !! This is my location , no street view . If you look Northwest of my arrow , You will see ships, carriers, subs lined up at the pier .  This is the CVN-75 Harry S.Truman Notice I couldn't zoom fully , but only because it didn't fit the screen .  [  |
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Post by YOUR_DADDY on May 9, 2008 7:56:07 GMT -5
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Post by YOUR_DADDY on May 9, 2008 7:57:23 GMT -5
mine is the brown house with the pool
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Killer_Monkey
New Member
Even a creepy little undead Monkey can kill!!
Posts: 199
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Post by Killer_Monkey on May 9, 2008 15:32:06 GMT -5
nice house YD (Time to go swimming!! LOL)
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a Silly Person
New Member
Always remember that you're unique. Just like everyone else.
Posts: 1,370
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Post by a Silly Person on May 11, 2008 13:37:08 GMT -5
I guess I don't have to worry much just yet. Neither Google nor Map quest could locate my 8-year-old address or even find my 9-year-old street that my driveway is attached to.
Are you guys sure that you want to display your addresses like that?
Some crazy silly person may pop in on you unexpectedly and ask you for a cup of sugar, or.... a beer.
;D
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Post by vinsanity on May 11, 2008 17:42:16 GMT -5
Come on down Silly. BD & fam will be here in June  |
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AIGAD
LPmember
Posts: 404
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Post by AIGAD on May 11, 2008 22:10:01 GMT -5
That is kind of freaky, but I don't think I'd have to worry about stalkers. Even I have a hard time figuring out which one of these houses is mine. lol   |
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RedRock
LPmember
Never ask what kind of computer a person uses--if it's a Mac, he'll say; if not, why embarrass him?
Posts: 4,972
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Post by RedRock on May 12, 2008 10:41:52 GMT -5
I think the street level view is not going to exist for most properties/homes, it's just way too much data to obtain easily. Instead, it's likely that it exists only when the pictures are in some sort of public database or venue, such as when a property is listed for sale or is reassessed for taxes (man, that reassessed word looks weird, but I'm gonna skip the spellcheck) and a local public agency does the pictures. When insurance companies check out a property for rates or when police investigate a property for a homicide or burglary, those might be two other possibilities for data to be taken and made available (insurance companies' data might be private, or in some states, public). I know Lamron had the breakin where his guns were stolen, but was it at that location, or did you buy your home in the last 3 years (I think you said it was 2.5 yrs. old, the pictures)? The data is old for me--my house doesn't have street level pictures available, and the microsoft maps view has our old white van in the driveway, the one my wife totaled in August 2006, and the Google map view has more trees in it than we do now (landlady took out a bunch of nice trees Summer of 06). As more and more houses/properties get listed for sale in the coming years, we might see a greater percentage of such pictures available. I agree that it represents an invasion of privacy at best, and at worst is dangerous.
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