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Google always surprises us with something unique and first-of-its-kind. This time Google wows us with a stunning application called Google Street View. Although Amazon's A9 and Microsoft were the first to release street-level mapping two years back, Google Street View manages to outshine them all. Google Street View is a new feature on Google Maps and it is the latest phase in Google's endeavors to organize the world's information on the Internet. This feature is excellent in that it makes finding directions from one location to the next very easy. You can simply log online, type in the starting address follow by the ending address and get the exact detailed directions on how to get there.

To help you even further, you have live-feed cameras that will show you exactly how the streets and roads will look when you get near your destination. This helps tremendously in getting there in a timely manner, and avoids getting lost and confused by just dry text directions.

This tool can make life easier in many ways, but it also raises some serious questions. Google Street View shows live images of people of the locations shown on its maps without blurring their faces. Although Google Street View is not primarily geared to pedestrians, it will definitely make many people feel that their privacy is being invaded. There are photographs taken and they are provided by Immersive Media (a company located in Calgary, Canada that works in conjunction with Google). The images on Google Street View are no different than what people see in their every day lives, so make sure you don't pick your nose while on the street, do it in a closed room instead.

One thing for sure, it has responded quickly to parents calling in with their concerns about the publication of images of their kids on the street. These statements have failed to appease privacy advocates. Director of Privacy International, Simon Davies, criticized Google because it failed to consult widely before launching their newest tool. He said that Google tries to excuse privacy invasion by claiming openness and that this is just one of many excuses.

Overall, the implications of this tool are serious because someone could lose their job, experience a broken marriage, or get hurt because of this Google Street View. Perhaps the idea of blurring out people's faces and body images could help in giving individuals more privacy, while at the same time offering a very excellent service.

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(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)
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