Well, it turns out that big brother is watching us. Its just not the big brother we have all been expecting – have you heard of the Google Spies controversy?
Instead of Uncle Sam peeping in on us, it is actually the world-famous search engine, Google. Many people have always been concerned with how Google markets ads and trending lists to search engine users.
Let’s not be naive; they do this by tracking our Internet searches – what we click within those searches, and how much time we spend at various web pages. Google claims that tracking this information is necessary to keep Internet searches quick and efficient; but it is a safe bet that marketing plays a heavy role in this as well.
However, since Google implemented their “Street View” feature on Google Maps nearly four years ago, that concern shifted from virtual privacy to actual privacy. It seems that Google may not only track our online habits, but Google spies could also possibly track our offline habits, as well.
This offline tracking has many people concerned about the personal privacy and national security.
The Reality of Google Spies
When Google released their Street View feature in Google Maps, people flocked to their computers to "google" their homes and businesses. Many of these googlers got a little more than they expected.
Not only could these people see their homes, but if they zoomed in, they could see their pets in the windows, items on their door stoops, or even into their open garages. Then, other complaints came rolling in.
Sun-bathing women, possible illegal activities, and some poor guy got caught at the local strip club; all of these images were posted on Google maps. One person angrily made the analogy that if Google can see their cat, they could possibly see other items in her home such as books, family photos, or more.
Google States It Is Not Spying
Of course, Google contends that it is not spying when photographers are snapping the street view images.
In 2007, Google told the NY Times,"Street View only features imagery taken on public property. This imagery is no different from what any person can readily capture or see walking down the street."
It seems that the courts would agree. Last March, The Third Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the company was not breaking any laws or violating any rights with its street view images. The judge in the case stated, "No person of ordinary sensibilities would be shamed, humiliated, or have suffered mentally as a result of a vehicle entering into his or her ungated driveway and photographing the view from there."
In an article about the case, Legalzoom.com writer, Michelle Fabio explains:
“For now at least, courts are looking at Google Street View under the same lens as traditional photos taken of homes from public streets or from above; that is, they are protected by the First Amendment/freedom of the press.”
However, Google is not totally innocent in all of this. In May 2010, Google did admit to spying of a different nature.
While the street view photographers were taking their pictures, they were also collecting personal data from unencrypted wireless networks. In a statement, Alan Eustace, Google senior VP, engineering & research admitted:
“. . . we have been mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open (i.e. non-password-protected) WiFi networks, even though we never used that data in any Google products.”
The idea of espionage by accident by Google spies seems somewhat suspect and various watchdog groups have decided to take a closer look at this WIFI spying.
Providing Terrorists With Geo-Intelligence
It is important to note that the Street View in Google Maps along with the company's Google Earth application could create national security issues.
Many people question whether or not these features could aid in terrorism attempts. Using these Google features can give terrorists, and everyone else, the ability to perform a quick recon of government buildings, industrial plants, military installations, and more.
Even this idea is so valid that last month Israel created a ministerial task force to evaluate whether Google should be allowed to send it's photo cars to photograph the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to include in their Street View service. According to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Israeli officials are less worried about personal privacy and are more concerned that terrorists could use it to help plan attacks on leaders or those in the political spotlight.
The Israeli paper also stated that if "Google spies" are given permission to photograph, that tight restrictions would be imposed on the company. These restrictions would not allow Google to photograph politically sensitive areas such government complexes and embassies.
We should always be aware that our privacy is at risk. Anything we do in public has the potential to be documented. Whether that documentation comes in the form of photographs, videos, or even audio is besides the point. As technology allows us to gain more access to the world around us, it inadvertently allows the world to gain more access to us.
Dennis Dufrene is the resident historian and technical writer. With this background, Dennis brings insight and accuracy to the stories published here at Top Secret Writers. Dennis has 314 post(s) at Top Secret Writers
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