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May 7, 2008 5:46 PM PDT

Plastic bag conquers Google Street View

by Stephen Shankland

Privacy advocates should take note of an effective way to avert the prying eyes of Google Street View: the lowly plastic bag.

Google Street View foiled by a plastic bag.

Google Street View foiled by a plastic bag.

(Credit: Google)

A block of College Road in Fairbanks, Alaska, along with portions of Minnie St. and Third St. show what a driver would see only if wearing a plastic bag on his or her head. As Google Sightseeing observes, you can tell what it is by the fact that it says "plastic bag" on the inside.

So now perhaps we know which scheming multibillion dollar search engine is behind San Francisco's ban on plastic bags.

Stephen Shankland writes about a wide range of technology and products, but has a particular focus on browsers and digital photography. He joined CNET News in 1998 and since then also has covered Google, Yahoo, servers, supercomputing, Linux and open-source software, and science. E-mail Stephen, or follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/stshank.
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Add a Comment (Log in or register) (14 Comments)
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by dbargen May 7, 2008 6:38 PM PDT
The less voyeurism the better, I say. Everyone who is annoyed by traffic/public space/CCTV cameras, raise your hand...
Reply to this comment
by eng.dan May 7, 2008 6:46 PM PDT
ooh. a new use for bags.
Reply to this comment
by chad.armstrong May 7, 2008 6:48 PM PDT
haha this is too funny
Reply to this comment
by krosavcheg May 7, 2008 6:54 PM PDT
Recycling is a good thing. But seriously, How long before someone sees this a a chance get free advertising by co-opting the field of view?
Reply to this comment
by tmunkee May 7, 2008 9:26 PM PDT
why? What do you have to hide? Or what do you do you have shame? you a closet freak?
Reply to this comment
by Mapper99 May 8, 2008 8:19 AM PDT
http://streetviewgallery.corank.com/tech/story/google-has-censored-most-of-Southside-
by Mapper99 May 8, 2008 8:33 AM PDT
There are a few seedy areas in Chicago where Google got out the sock and covered the camera:

http://streetviewgallery.corank.com/tech/story/google-has-censored-most-of-Southside-
Reply to this comment
by kevsmail May 8, 2008 6:44 PM PDT
I don't get the point of this story. Someone ran up to the Google car-cam and put a bag over the lens when nobody was looking?
Reply to this comment
by jackdaniels08 May 8, 2008 10:41 PM PDT
This is a no story. The writer is just being silly trying to connect a plastic bag with privacy issues. I thought April Fool's already passed.
Reply to this comment
by novalus May 9, 2008 12:55 AM PDT
The full travel of the bag :D http://maps . google . com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=123312745528739717,64.847159,-147.698146&saddr=4th+St+%4064.847159,+-147.698146&daddr=64.849703,-147.699594&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=14&sll=64.85098,-147.694445&sspn=0.017472,0.064459&layer=c&ie=UTF8&z=14&cbll=64.847159,-147.698146&panoid=VXExoUlapYtBS4Jw6xf63Q
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by thegibson May 9, 2008 8:30 AM PDT
Looks like it was rainy out. Bet the bag was put over the camera by the Google team, then they forgot to take it off before they went out. Or maybe they stopped somewhere, put the bag on, waited until the rain was over, then took off, forgetting they had covered the camera. If you're looking straight down you can't even see the car, which suggests the bag was tied down under the camera.
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by btljooz May 9, 2008 2:26 PM PDT
Google Street View is not only an invasion of privacy, but I've found at least one address that IS [b]WRONG!!![/b]

When I called them to report the error the guy that answered my call was extremely rude. So I asked to speak to his supervisor. He told me that I had to give him the name of his supervisor to be able to speak to this person. I asked him how I was supposed to know the name of his supervisor and he insisted I give it to him. I told him to stick all things Google where the Sun don't shine and that I was going to go back to Yahoo! and hung up in his ear.

So much for Google's "Do no evil", eh? ?:|
Reply to this comment
by HiF|yer May 11, 2008 1:02 PM PDT
Somewhat silly article, don't you think?
Reply to this comment
by benjaminstraight July 15, 2008 4:30 PM PDT
benjamin straight writes: Ha! Inventive.
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