After only a few days live in Australia, Google’s Street View is already uncovering some unsavory details, as well as raising privacy concerns as it has in other parts of the world.  So far, explorers have already uncovered a lying neighbor, caught a cheating spouse and snapped a man sleeping on the job. 

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, some private roads including Tiki Road, Moonee Beach, The Mountain Way, Korora, and Beachfront Close, and Sapphire Beach- all of which in Coffs Harbour - have already been removed from Street View, as have images taken inside Wesley College in Glen Waverley, Victoria. 

Supposedly, Google had made promises that they would not include these and other private streets in their mapping, as well as the promise to blur faces, license plates and other sensitive or personal information, but it looks as though they haven’t lived up to their promises.  Many parts, scenes, and face-images have already been removed due to personal complaints.

"If Google have been careless in the selection of roads to photograph from, they are exposing themselves to a range of legal concerns … I was assured that they had been very careful in avoiding such incidents in Australia." said Dan Svantesson, co-chairman of the Australian Privacy Foundation’s internet subcommittee and a law professor at Bond University.  Apparently, the streets in questions were clearly marked "No Trespassing," but the Google drivers decided to photograph them anyway.  This is were the concern lies.  What else is available on Street View that shouldn’t be?

These types of allegations against Google have been appearing ever since the first market went live, but Google seems to not care a whole lot about any of it.  Many have asked what the whole use is in this type of virtual mapping in the first place, and why Google has gone to such trouble other than the obvious "wow" factor one gets while playing around with it.  It obviously will have some future tie-in with advertising of some sort.

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