Plans by Google to photograph millions of British homes and publish them online have been condemned as a ‘gross invasion of privacy’.

source: Daily Mail:

The internet giant’s StreetView website will allow anyone in the world to type in a UK address or postcode and instantly see a 360-degree picture of the street. It will include close-ups of buildings, cars and people. Critics say the site is a ‘burglar’s charter’ that makes it easy for criminals to check out potential victims. The pictures also show people leaving and entering hospitals, health clinics, adult shops and hotels. Although their faces are deliberately blurred, many could still be recognised by their clothing and hair colour.

The site was launched in major American cities last year. Google has confirmed it is now in the process of photographing Britain as part of the Street View project. The data watchdog, the Information Commissioner’s office, is so concerned about StreetView that it has written to Google demanding privacy guarantees.

Surprising, coming from a country with CCTV all over the place (about 4.2 million cameras).

Even George Orwell’s old house has countless cameras surrounding it.

Do the British people prefer government intrusion over corporate intrusion? Or do they hate both equally? Last year, Labour MP David Winnick said:

“I can’t recall a single occasion, receiving a letter from a constituent, complaining about a lack of privacy. ” Instead he said, he got “a number of letters” asking for CCTV, saying the large majority of people believed they could help fight crime.