back to article Bucks village repels Street View spycar

The Buckinghamshire village of Broughton has, for the time being, been spared the attentions of Google's all-seeing Street View, after locals repelled the advance of one of the search monolith's Orwellian black Opels. According to the Milton Keynes Citizen, "mutinous householders" mobilised on Wednesday as the spycar prepared …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.

Page:

  1. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    for the love of all that is holy..

    .. when the street view car takes your picture YOU ARE IN GOD DAMN PUBLIC. The side of your building is viewable TO THE PUBLIC. People need to stop being such god damn retards about this situation and release that by going INTO PUBLIC you lose the right to PRIVACY about where you god damn are.

    Or should i walk around with my eyes closed in case i offend someones privacy . God damn morons.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So privacy is good?

    "The good burghers of Broughton also called the police, but before they could arrived, the snoopmobile's operative decided to call it a day."

    Two things,

    One, Privacy is important! People want it, are you paying attention Google? Are you paying attention British prospective MPs who will be standing against NuLabour? Privacy is a vote winner!

    Two, I hope the rozzers would have arrested the protestors, since Google has as much right to drive down that road and photograph streets as anyone else. It's not *their* road. If they want something different, see point one, vote the NuLabour candidate out and vote the privacy candidate in.

  3. Steve

    Property values

    Leaving arguments about photography on public streets for others (and if it's the same Broughton I'm thinking of, it's a very olde-worlde village very popular with tourists - and their cameras), maybe Google should insert their own streetview images (with small print) that portray it as a downtrodden 3rd world slum community and see what that does to the property values and tourism? Or am I just being too cruel?

    Steve.

  4. Luis Ogando
    Stop

    Tw@s The Lot Of 'Em

    Christ on a bike! What makes this idiot believe his house is so damned good I (or anybody) would want to surf the 'net for a frigging picture?? There are more affluent areas in the UK for ne'er-do-wells to haunt if they feel so inclined.

    Until we have absolute confirmation that Streetview ACTUALLY increases crime I'll carry on using it for what it was intended for - subtle voyerism and checking out hot, blurry-faced birds on the high street.

    Stop, because that berk needs to!

  5. Andrew
    Alert

    So let me get this straight...

    "A Google spokeman told the Citizen that householders were "entitled" to request their properties be removed from Street View, but "only after the picture has appeared"."

    So if I take a picture of somebody's house but never publish it I'm not breaking the law? And if that picture happens to have a view of a naked woman in it (with her face blured of course) that too would be ok? Excelent. Time for some telephoto 'nature' photography then. ;-)

  6. Paul

    I don't like street view...

    but it sounds more like they were braking the law.

  7. Nick
    Coat

    Now't as Queer as Folk..

    They don't like it up 'em, isn't it wasn't it...

    So with this hitting newsstands, makes it known that this hamlet of affluence is just that. Why not move to Yorkshire - its grim up there, and as such means you won't get burglarised because they're all down south...

    Coat please, with extra flame retardance.

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Blocking the highway or summat

    I've a feeling if the fuzz HAD arrived they'd have had to disperse the locals as they were obstructing the driver from using a public road.

    Though of course if they're using a camera then they might be a terrorist and so fair-game for any "reasonable" response plod felt was necessary! Bang-bang-bang.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Streisand effect?

    Have they not heard of the Streisand effect? Anyone nearby who can upload some photos of what we are missing?

  10. Admiral Grace Hopper

    Went The Day Well?

    I look forward to Google posting the pics resulting from this confrontation. Where does one buy a pitchfork and burning torch these days?

  11. FathomsDown
    Stop

    So....

    So having Google Streetview images of your property assists crime but telling the press that you live in an affluent area which has seen a number of burglaries (ie you live in an area where the houses are easy to burgle) doesn't?

    Somehow I think more burglars read the tabloids than use Streetview.

  12. TeeCee Gold badge
    Happy

    Crikey!

    I can't believe you wrote that without using the phrase "Git orf moi laaand" at least once.

    It's in the countryside you know......

  13. Stef
    Coat

    Eejits

    An affluent area populated by cretins eh?

    I'll get my... balaclava.

  14. M Anton
    Stop

    So are these muppets...

    also going to sue Panoramio, sorry Google for the pictures that have been posted on there by members of the public who subscribe to service? Oh hang on..................

    One of the cars went past me this morning in Crawley but I didn't have an opportunity to 'wave' as it went by ;-)

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    They started it...

    Didn't the yanks invent "we don't like strangers in this town" or have I been watching Westerns to no benefit?

    Of course what these householders were doing were developing their own form of opt-in process to supplement googles flawed opt-out.

    After all you can only opt-out if you have access to and the ability to use the internet to get to the "offending" picture of your gaff. As such it is blantantly discriminatory to those of the older generations who are not silver surfers.

    At least you aren't exposed to adverts while using streetview - if you were you could argue the photographry was for commercial purposes.

    use of "mutinous" is a bit strong, we're not officially under the control of google yet are we. I'd have gone for vigilante if they'd torched the vehicle rather raising the voices at the driver.

  16. John Bayly
    Thumb Down

    Google should capitulate

    No streetview: can see what houses look like

    No aerial photos: can see how big the gardens are, how many cars & whether the're plenty of stuff out back.

    No maps: enable burglars to get directions to their houses.

    Simple, google can make this place not exist by placing a black rectangle over the area with a caption "Here there be dragons", and I for one would love to see that happen.

    As for complaining about it being an affluent area, it's a fucking suburb of Milton Keynes, in fact Broughton is now what I'd call an estate, not a village. Simple way of telling, all the houses are identical.

    I hate sounding like a snob, but the first picture I have of these people are them being the epitome of nouveau rich. The photo of some cock on a jet-ski says it all:

    http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=broughton&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enGB291GB291&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    morons

    Now it IS news and with some luck it might make it (with pictures) to some front page also...

    .. perhaps a reportage by the BBC would be in place, live interviews and some filmfootage to explain the issue to interested viewers?

    :-)

    Good thinking this...? So taking pictures on a public road is a private matter - it certainly shows the level of their thinking ability. .. or lack of it.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Only in America...

    ...or, in this case, the United Kingdom.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Far more likely use is ...

    ... the one I've been using Street View for - checking out neighbourhoods and properties of places advertised for rent/sale. Indispensable aid for learning whether or not a place is worth a look.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Pirate

    Well....

    now we've got that out of our systems, I think that all the stuff about public and photographs only applies to those taken for non commercial purposes.

    I seem to recall somewhere in the dim and distant past I read that for commercial purposes one can licence individuals and companies to take photographs for commercial purposes and those not licensed are in breach of some form of right that goes with the property. Don't know but perhaps one of our lawyer friends could shed some light.

    I know that if one tries to sell aphotograph to one of the agencies that 'features' a particular building or individual, rather than includes them as a minor part of the picture, most of the agencies require a release form signed by the owner of the property or of the individual.

    Now that could be interesting if it is the case.

  21. BoldMan
    Go

    Looking forward to a Playmobile reconstruction

    Assuming the Playmobile people don't sue ElReg for actually owning and USING their product! Heaven forbid!

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    I Wee'd myself

    "Jacobs concluded: “This is an affluent area. We’ve already had three burglaries locally in the past six weeks. If our houses are plastered all over Google it’s an invitation for more criminals to strike. I was determined to make a stand, so I called the police.”"

    Oh get over yourself. If you really where as affluent as you say you would have better security...

    Mines the one with the Camera in the pocket

  23. Dave
    Pirate

    Logic

    "A Google spokeman told the Citizen that householders were "entitled" to request their properties be removed from Street View, but "only after the picture has appeared"."

    If I am entitled to have it removed, I see no reason why I should inform them in advance, and be entitled to not have it appear in the first place.

  24. Bod

    Prat

    "Resistance leader Paul Jacobs explained: “I was upstairs when I spotted the camera car driving down the lane. My immediate reaction was anger; how dare anyone take a photograph of my home without my consent? I ran outside to flag the car down and told the driver he was not only invading our privacy but also facilitating crime.”"

    Utter Nimbyism combined with FUD (privacy bit) and an outright lie (crime bit).

    These people have far more to fear from the local council using anti-terrorism laws to spy on them whilst they fill their bins, along with the hordes off CCTV that they seem perfectly happy to accept "invading" their privacy... in public.

    The only fear from Google they've got is if they've been cheating on their other halves and get spotted by the camera. If they're in public they have just as much chance that someone could have spotted them anyway.

    Dumbasses.

  25. GT
    Go

    Right then, me hearties.

    Grab your swag bags and let's head on down to Broughton. Never heard of it before but now, thanks to the thoughtful residents, I realise it's affluent. Rich pickings, I reckon.

  26. Paul

    Crying wolf

    Now what we need are lots of people with similar black cars willing to have a box on a pole attached to their car to drive into this place.

  27. Tim Hines
    Black Helicopters

    It's a bit late!

    Too late, Microsoft Live has some very clear bird's eye view of Broughton Village:

    http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=sp7r30gy7tm6&style=o&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=22145223&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&where1=milton%20keynes&encType=1

    Interesting parking (see top left) ...

  28. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    hum.

    "So if I take a picture of somebody's house but never publish it I'm not breaking the law? And if that picture happens to have a view of a naked woman in it (with her face blured of course) that too would be ok?"

    I think taking a picture of someones house is allowed, i think you can basically take a picture of anything you want (except the obvious 1 exception)

    If the lady was in her house in front of the window with teh curtains open then its kinda her fault, as everyone on the street would be able to see as well (or any double decker busses/coachs), i think actually the girl might be the one in trouble there, indecent exposer.

  29. Someone

    Hypocrites

    I’ve just seen the story on the BBC. The BBC turned up with a film crew and the good burghers of Broughton don’t appear to have lynched the cameraman.

  30. Paul Berry
    Thumb Down

    Jacobs concluded: “This is an affluent area."

    That'll be the reason for the break-ins then. Duh.

  31. The Fuzzy Wotnot
    Thumb Up

    Good on them!

    'A Google spokeman told the Citizen that householders were "entitled" to request their properties be removed from Street View, but "only after the picture has appeared".'

    No! If I ask for something not be there in the first place, that amounts to the same ultimate goal, not present under any circumstances! Do you understand?

    Why can't we have the choice in the first place? I bet if I went stomping residential streets taking snaps for a new internet startup I had just formed, you'd all call Mr Plod and I'd get a good drubbing down the cop-shop before tea-time! 'Cos it's good old friendly Google, everybody's mate, they'd never do anything to hurt us, they're bestest friend a user of the internet could have, the khaki cargo-pants wearing, Apple fanbois, Web v3.0 trendies are all up for it!

    NO! They are another huge faceless corporation, just like Uncle Steve Jobs and the Church of Apple and while I use their both Apple and Google services and products, I am still mindful that they don't abuse the trust we all put in them!

    Keep 'em peeled!

  32. Eponymous Cowherd
    Dead Vulture

    Reg beaten to Google story by Metro *again* shocker!

    You really are letting the side down, you know.

  33. This post has been deleted by its author

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Alert

    Paul Jacobs is an iDiot

    HE called the Police! I do hope they dealt with the Obstruction to the Public Highway correctly!

    Taking Photos Is NOT a Crime - Obstructing the Highway is!

    Off to Photo this tits house and sell it to the Media! exclusive! What Paul Jacobs doesn't want you to see.. Hes got a front door and a car!

    Hey do you see me jumping up and down about El'Reg using my picture on thier streetview snappers article.. they only need my permission if itys for comercial gain.. hmm advertising articles.....

  35. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I say

    I say we all go to the dick heads house and take photos of it.

    I also suggest that inplace of these bland dumps google put exciting in their place on street view - like wobbly vibrators, or run down chemical plants.

    cocks.

  36. Neil Hoskins
    Stop

    The "village" of Broughton my arse

    It's part of Milton Keynes. And I can already see his poxy "affluent area" on Google Earth, thank you very much. His house is quite clear. They should really treat themselves to a new patio set: teak is so 'last year'. And they seem to be drinking... what's that... *Tesco* chardonnay... ewwwww......

  37. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

    Re: for the love of all that is holy..

    Can we not be quite so over-caffeinated about this? You've got to admit that the definition of privacy is shifting, surely, and while it's not necessarily a problem it bears examination. People might be getting in an undue flap but it's important to monitor these things. Dismissing their concerns out of hand with a hand slapped to the forehead doesn't make for the kind of thoughtful perspective we should try to take about this and most issues.

    Although it seems fair enough to say that on this occasion it's an outbreak of uninformed nimbyism by pompous Mail-reading surburban dopes.

  38. Lionel Baden
    Paris Hilton

    cool

    nice to see people standing up for what they believe in

    To many people take it lying down

    paris well did you see the above sentance

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Black Helicopters

    Umm, the blurring doesn't work

    I think its obvious from this photo I found in about 10 seconds that the blurring does not work sufficiently (no it's not a photo of me, it's totally random):

    http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=UTF-8&sourceid=navclient&q=birmingham,+uk&ie=UTF8&split=0&ei=p_nVSfCWHZvQjAfV262KDw&ll=52.482467,-1.894069&spn=0.007749,0.022745&z=16&iwloc=addr&layer=c&cbll=52.482386,-1.894164&panoid=8-b3kI81F8SkFq81qAeHfQ&cbp=12,352.0328359070418,,2,13.150943396226427

  40. Marc Savage

    lucky...

    They are lucky plod did not do them for blocking teh queens highway.

  41. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The Engadget version of events

    http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/angry-british-villagers-block-google-street-view-car-incident-c/

  42. Steve

    “This is an affluent area"

    Saying “This is an affluent area" is in itself 'an invitation for more criminals to strike'

    Note to self: next place to loot is Broughton, start with Paul Jacobs!

    Dumbass!

    I hope the Google car went back and got the shots!

  43. Martin Lyne

    Er

    Maybe it was a typo

    "This is an effluent area", they were stopping the spymobile from getting all smelly and gooey.

    Or maybe they were just proving themselves to be knee-jerk reactionist ignorati.

    YOU DECIDE!

  44. Lottie

    prats

    If the road was private, I guess they could have told the driver where to go, but if it wasn't, isn't obstruction of the highway an offence that lets the police club the shit out of you these days?

  45. Secretgeek
    Flame

    Double standards.

    I'd have a lot more respect for this bunch of irate middle-englanders if it wasn't so blatantly obvious that they were only concerned with themselves and couldn't give a toss about the general moral issue of privacy and Google.

    Obviously a bunch of 'not on my doorstep' types that are quite happy for all the scumsvilles to get photo'd so long as it doesn't intrude on their particular part of this green and unpleasant land.

    Tossers.

  46. Hedley Phillips

    I want my House to be on Streetview

    I wish we were lucky enough to be inlcuded on Streetview.

  47. FlatSpot
    Thumb Up

    Think there is a town/rural divide maybe?

    I'm with the locals on this one.

    If a burglar is casing a joint during the day, you might notice them loitering about and clock their license plate number.

    If you think Police response times are shite in a town or city you should try calling them when you are 15 miles out of town. Not forgetting when you are pretty isolated to start with and their are fewer eyes and hands about to help or notice anything etc.

    F8ck google, life can continue without their perv maps....just buy a bloody GPS if you are so crap at finding a street!

  48. Simon Painter
    Thumb Up

    @FathomsDown

    Spot on and you beat me to it... all they have done is drawn attention to themselves. I think I might pop over there at the weekend with my camera and put the whole place on my blog.

  49. Richard
    Paris Hilton

    Nobody is stupid

    These people come close though.

    Is a burglar not going to rob your house because it doesn't appear on google maps?

    3 burglaries in the last 6 weeks, and that's before they were shown on google maps, I wonder if the burglars knew the houses were there when they set out to rob them or if they just stumbled across them, oh look a house let's rob it.

    I think they should be left alone there, with nobody visiting them, postmen, dustbin men, any utilities suppliers, etc. in their nice little hamlet where nobody can see their affluent houses because they don't appear on google street view.

    Bunch of morons, the burglars are going to be laughing at this, typically the criminals aren't particularly bright in terms of book smarts, but they know where the money is and they can see houses without the aid of google.

    Paris because it's a nice place with albeit with an odour problem.

  50. Dean
    Unhappy

    Evil Google Maps

    I don't blame these people.

    I was randomly looking at Google maps last night and was looking at an industrial estate in Leeds where I found 5 number plates that Google's 'excellant' software has missed.

    I have been playing with the idea, once my house is on their system to write to Google with a cheque and ask them under the Data Protection Act to remove all images of me and my car.

Page:

This topic is closed for new posts.

Other stories you might like