One of the largest marketing pushes for a single product in Google’s dynamic history has hit a slight teething problem. Google Street View is an application that bears resemblance to virtual tour software seen on many websites, however instead on a single facility it is spread across select destinations around the globe.
The application is a generational leap from Google maps and satellite software which shows 360 degree rotation of streets in selected cities and 290 degree vertical panoramic views. It is based on a series of photographic images taken from one of many camera mounted cars that have been up and down streets in major cities across the globe.
The marketing push was so successful that Google Maps UK measured a 41% increase in hits in the UK and US Google Maps measured an unprecedented 84% increase. The application allows users to view static images of specific roads which they can then rotate within the aforementioned parameters, showing live still images at the time the photograph was taken.
The massive surge in traffic might be accounted for by the novelty value of the software and genuine practical value is tough to predict. One practicality regarding the intricate nature of the images is that Google has been forced to remove an undisclosed amount of images in response to privacy complaints.
Under EU law, any internet service provider is not responsible for their content however if a complaint has been made then they are responsible for removing the offending content. The offending content in this case ranges from images of individuals being sick in the street, to a man snapped walking into a sex shop.
After only one day we are seeing the advanced nature of the images backfiring somewhat and the full affects will not be seen for some time. Despite the faces being blurred, if someone has been identified or feels that the photo is offensive in some way then the image has to be removed which leaves Google Street View potentially open for some serious editing over the coming months.
Related posts: