Google Street View Becomes Driveway

This article on SecurityProNews describes a situation where a Google Street View camera car enters and films someone's driveway.

When The Smoking Gun tipped off Janet McKee as to Google's impromptu visit, she said it was "a little bit creepy to think of someone filming our home without me knowing about it."

The Google camera car left public property (prohibited by Google) and drove up the couple's winding driveway. The reaction would have probably been different had the images not found themselves at the fingertips of billions.

This is dumb, but I admit it does creep me out a little bit that my own house is viewable by the planet. But why? Instead of people having to physically be present to ogle my abode -- so I can see them by peeking out the window -- they can anonymously view it at any time, entirely unknown to me.

Whereas I rely on the obscurity afforded by the physical world's limitations, when those limitations go away, what is the impact to my privacy, confidentiality?

Should I throw a tarp over the Jeep lest someone stumble across my street view and find themselves a cheap source for parts?

Should I worry that criminals now have an easier time casing my house?

For now, the world's internet users still have to click their way to our houses. But as more information comes online about each of us, we'll have to rethink some basic assumptions about our security and privacy.