Google's StreetView Protects the Identity of the French

Earlier this week, the French StreetView edition was launched; it is part of Google maps and it allows an Internet user to browse through the maps at street level. The French edition though has a long way to go as only the route for the Tour de France has been covered by Google. Out of privacy reasons, the faces of all the people caught on camera by the Google StreetView team will be blurred, just as the license plates on cars.

A spokesperson for Google France said that it is a fairly easy process as it is all done automatically. Anyone who is not pleased with the end result and considers the job has been done poorly can contact Google and request a do over. A link has been provided for any such request and Google will respond by getting an employee to blur the face, or even remove the picture.

The CNIL (short for French National Data Processing and Liberties Commission) has issued a warning in regards to the fact that the automated blurring process is not foolproof and sometimes faces and registration licenses shot at a certain angle can be missed by the software and consequently the images will not be blurred.

ComputerWorld reports that this will be a good test for Google; the blurring software will not be stressed to its limits and, at the same time, Google can wait and see how the French public reacts. When StreetView was launched in the US, it raised numerous concerns regarding the right to privacy. Google had to remove the pictures of all those who requested it.

According to the French laws, Google must "avoid infringing the individual's right to privacy and right to his or her picture (photograph or drawing), both of them rights of personality". Thus, it is crucial that Google treads lightly and takes all the necessary measures to avoid a scandal.