Google must re-shoot Street Vie images in Japan

[iPhantom]

Citizens of Japan have won a fight against Google to get them to re-shoot all of the photos taken and shown via Google Street View. The argument stemmed around the idea of invasion of privacy, specifically that the cameras could take pictures over the fences around private homes.

Google agreed to re-shoot all of the photos taken for Google Street View of Japanese cities and will lower the height of its cameras to avoid taking photos at heights above private fences. Google has also agreed to blur out license plates numbers as well to further adhere to the complaints of the citizens.

"We admit that there were concerns about the service. ... People said we might have neglected the privacy issue," ‘he wrote.' "We took their opinions seriously and made careful considerations."

It was unclear if Google was going to remove all images from Street View or replace them as the new ones were taken.

Via Google must re-shoot all Street View pictures in Japan

Seriously, they just replied 'You have tools to remove pics from the site' to Europe and America. Why is Japan different?

[Nyororin]

Because Google is not a Japanese company, and Japan is not the US or Europe.

In other words, laws relating to privacy are different in other countries. They skirted the law seriously on this, and there is the threat of real legal action. The quickest and likely cheapest way to clear things up is to retake the pictures.

You have to remember, Google is not some all powerful company that can ignore laws and regulations anywhere they like on the Earth. Satellite photos are one thing - street level photos showing the inside of people`s private property is another. Legally they need permission - and obviously they did not get it.

[iPhantom]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Because Google is not a Japanese company, and Japan is not the US or Europe.

In other words, laws relating to privacy are different in other countries. They skirted the law seriously on this, and there is the threat of real legal action. The quickest and likely cheapest way to clear things up is to retake the pictures.

You have to remember, Google is not some all powerful company that can ignore laws and regulations anywhere they like on the Earth. Satellite photos are one thing - street level photos showing the inside of people`s private property is another. Legally they need permission - and obviously they did not get it.

Maybe not in Japan, but Google can surely ignore them in Europe or America... so does Microsoft, apple and especially RIAA and MPAA.

Maybe we should take some lessons from Japan then?

[Nyororin]

Japan has it`s own version of the RIAA - JASRAC... So no lessons to be learned there.

As for Google... Well, it`s not just that they`ve crept into legally ambiguous territory. Japan has significantly different expectations when it comes to customer service than the US and Europe. A company would be committing commercial suicide by telling a customer to just deal with it themselves - even if they do provide tools. There is the expectation that the company will take care of all problems, and potential for problems before things escalate. If a customer has to move themselves... You`ve just lost the market.