US couple sues Google over Street View privacy violation

by Stevie Smith - Apr 7 2008, 12:26

Google Inc.’s contentious Street View has once again come under legal fire, this time from a couple situated in western Pennsylvania that are suing the search engine titan on the grounds of privacy violation and devaluation of property.

Google Street View sued by US couple over accusations of violated privacy. Credit: Google.

This latest Street View complaint has been lodged by Aaron and Christine Boring after exterior images of their suburban home in Franklin Park, Pittsburgh, appeared online through the street-level mapping feature.Street View, which is an innovative feature contained within Google Maps, enables its users to peruse virtual re-creations of city streets as though they were moving through them in real time. Its images of major metropolitan areas are captured by Google photographers via car-mounted camera equipment. According to the legal filing, which was submitted last Wednesday, the couple have suffered mental stress and had their privacy violated after pictures of the property, likely taken from the home’s long driveway, were posted online. The filing also claims that the driveway sports a sign declaring it be a “Private Road.”While dodging direct comment on the specifics of the Boring complaint, Google spokesman Larry Yu said Street View clearly outlines that specific housing imagery will be taken down if owners can provide a solid reason for removal and also deliver proof that the property is indeed theirs.“We absolutely respect that people may not be comfortable with some of the imagery on the site,” said Mr. Yu. “We actually make it pretty easy for people to submit a request to us to remove the imagery.”However, although Google claims the Boring property would already have been pulled from its mapping service had the owners registered a formal request, the couple’s attorney, Dennis Moskal, is seemingly more concerned with the possibility of trespassing.“Isn’t litigation the only way to change a big business’ conduct with the public? What happened to their accountability?” said Moskal regarding the invasion of privacy suffered when Google allegedly drove onto the Boring driveway in order to capture its Street View pictures.A similar property picture of the Boring house is posted on the Allegheny County real estate Web site, which also includes a full description of the home along with the owners’ names. However, according to Mr. Moskal, that particular image was captured from the public street and does not represent trespassing.

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TylerApr 7th, 2008 - 14:01:37

People need to chill out, freakin anybody will sue anybody just to get alittle money.

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SteveoApr 7th, 2008 - 14:14:34

NO shit...

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Frankie GApr 7th, 2008 - 14:16:37

Someone needs to Shoot the Borings!! LOL

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sfhomesApr 7th, 2008 - 14:38:44

only a lawyer would say 'isn't litigation the only way...'

The Borings prove themselves liars by saying they've suffered mental stress... I say this because if they wanted to avoid stress they would not subject themselves to a law suit and all of the media attention. No one would ever have noticed that photo, now they've invited ridicule and scorn that they so rightly deserve. Their so called stress will now become real. Amazing how stupid people can be.

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Dan SApr 7th, 2008 - 15:16:58

What cracks me up about all of these people freaking out over their privacy being violated with StreetView is this.....anyone can look up anyones address in the phone book, which has been printed for years upon years. It isn't like where you live is a secret. Even if you are unlisted there are many different ways that people can find out more intimate information about you then what the exterior of your house looks like. They are just gold diggers via lawyer. Who would want to mess with anyone with the name of Boring anyway...doesn't sound like too much fun.

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LeeDGApr 7th, 2008 - 15:31:32

The thing that bothers me with these people is if they are taking Google to court for violation of their privacy. Who is next, the makers of GPS devices, where you can enter any address and it will take you right to their door. So get real about it. In my thoughts Google Street View is not much more then an online GPS source, so if you sue Google then do the same with all the companies that make car GPS devices. Makes as much since. It's not like Google is showing the inside of you bedroom.

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US couple sues Google over Street View privacy violation

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