Google: No such thing as complete privacy
Found on Cnet News on Wednesday, 30 July 2008
"Plaintiffs' privacy claims fail, among other reasons, because the view of a home from the driveway that can be seen by any visitor, delivery person, or telephone repairman is not private," the company said in response to the suit.
"Today's satellite-image technology means that...complete privacy does not exist," Google said in its response to the complaint.
Google also takes issue with the Borings' approach to the matter, though stopping short of accusing them of opportunistically trying to extract some money from a wealthy company.
Oh, now that's a nice argument: just because you a huge company means that nobody should be able to sue you because they just want your money. Sorry, it doesn't work this way. Also, complete privacy may not exist (especially thanks to Google et al), but this does not mean it's wrong to defend your privacy. It's true that people driving by can see your house, but taking and publishing pictures is an entirely different matter. What if Google let's you take a look at their holy search algorithms? They can be pretty sure you won't be able to remember them; but I bet they won't let you take pictures to post them online.