EU cautions Google over Street View photos

From CNET News.com: In a letter sent to the search giant this week, the European Union's privacy watchdog told Google that it should warn towns and cities before it snaps photos for its online Street View maps. The EU also told the company that it should cut the time it keeps the original photos online from a year to six months.

In response, Google said it already posts updates on its Web site about the itinerary of its Street View cameras. The company also addressed privacy concerns, noting that the photos are all of public places and are typically several months to a couple of years old. In addition, the company blurs identifiable images, such as faces and license plates, and will remove a specific image if requested.

Street View complements Google Maps by displaying photos of everything from famous landmarks to ordinary neighborhoods. Since its launch in the U.S. in 2007, Street View has come under fire in light of privacy concerns. Although it is legal to take pictures of public locations, the EU is alarmed that photographing people in public could infringe on laws governing personal privacy.

This isn't the first time Street View has caught grief in Europe in particular. In spring 2008, an EU official expressed concerns about the project after Google first began shooting photos in European cities.

Last year, privacy watchdogs in the U.K. formally complained after its introduction there. And Greece voiced objections over Google taking photos of people, especially those in unflattering or potentially compromising situations. As a result, the company was forced to pull back on its Greek snapshots.

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