Privacy concerns over Google street photos
Wednesday 28th April 2010, 3:00PM BST.
The car roof-mounted Google camera will be snapping away in the Island this week
SERIOUS concerns about Islanders’ privacy have been raised as Google continues to photograph every street in Jersey.
The global internet company is making a virtual online map of the Island, which will enable anyone in the world to see everything from parked cars and homes to people walking their dogs or travelling to work.
But data protection commissioner Emma Martins believes there is a risk that Islanders could be exposed to embarrassment and distress.
She also said that her office was not informed of the visit of the multinational corporation’s cars – which are currently photographing and mapping the Island with a specially designed car.
As a result she not had a chance to look into the relevant privacy laws and there might be issues that need addressing, she said.
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Dear Emma, what we chose to do in public is public. If you chose to do something embarrassing in public that is your responsibility. I use Street View frequently and think a great service. Role on Google, I have nothing to hide or be embarrassed about.
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Oh get over your self, what privacy is being invaded anything that a normal person walking on the road can see.
If you don’t want people looking in to your home buy some curtains.
Its taking a snapshot of one event on public roads.
If filming and taking pictures of other people is a data protection issue, then I would like and island wide ban on all recording equipment being used in public areas! Pathetic!
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Well if they bother to look at good maps they will see the cars number plates and peoples faces and such are blurred out
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What privacy conerns Emma? Someone walking their dog or walking along the street perhaps? Next time i am out and about in my car i will make sure i close my eyes to avoid infinging people’s privacy. Lunacy, sheer lunacy.
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Embarrassment and distress? Why, what are people doing in their road/street?
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typical knee jerk reaction ! half the world is on google streets and they pixal the faces out . surly jersey can only benifet from this with people who wish to visit the island can view it before visiting. and for those people who might be exposed to embarrassment and distress – keep your curtains closed!!!
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Can’t wait to see the results of this.
Been coming to Jersey for years for holidays, so why not just let this go ahead.
It surely won’t do tourism any harm if people could see what a lovely island you have.
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Does this mean no more skinny dipping in pool in the back garden?
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What’s happening with the English language abilities of JEP reporters?
Last paragraph…
“As a result she not had a chance”
Should it be…
“As a result she did not have a chance” or “As a result she has not had a chance”
And, I was always told about using quotation marks when quoting someone – that appears to have gone out of the window here!
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I don’t see what the problem is!
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Does our DP Commissioner have something to say on everything?
I assume that if I take some local photos and post them to my blog on the internet (ok – I confess I haven’t got one) she will also want to butt in and consider whether I am breaching local laws.
Too much time on her hands. If she hasn’t identified any obvious and burning issues yet, she should stay out of it until she has!
Long live Streetmap – a very useful application.
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i am sure some satalites, could watch us , fliping burgers on the barbie ,if they wanted to.
in fact , with the amount of clandestine survailance kit available.
data protectection is but a bit of paper.
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I think this whole privacy debate is daft. There’s been no obvious crime in the UK due to Google Street View.
It will be good for tourism, so people can see what lovely coastline we have. This may encourage visitors
It will also be nice to show everyone the wonderful waterfront the States have given us!
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So it is OK for planning to spend tax payer’s monies in very expensive aerial photography of peoples back gardens – or is this another case that the States do not have to comply to such regulations.
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It will be SERIOUSLY disappointing is the states for some stupid reason ask Google to stop photographing Jerseys streets for the site.
Also – I thought it was legal to photograph a public place?
And if someone is doing something they dont want the world to see, they should do it behind closed doors!
I believe even being naked at your bedroom window, if you can be seen from the road, is illegal?
Lighten up Jersey!
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What a load of fuss and bother over nothing! I’m sorry Google didn’t feel the Data Commission were important enough to gain prior permission. Someone would have been consulted. Does this possibly mean States Departments are not communicating / consulting each other? Unbelievable!!
I think you will find that all faces and car registrations are blurred on Street View, and therefore unless you are undertaking any illegal activities will have nothing to fear.
Were Google in the area of Mont de la Rocque Monday morning?!?!?
Google Street View is a very useful tool indeed. You can ‘drive’ through an area before you actually arrive and therefore be familiar with your destination. However when I was looking for a house in Bristol, the bloke walking his dog next to a bus stop wasn’t there anymore!!
Facebook has a group dedicated to people who have had their picture taken.
So Miss Martins dont panic!
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I welcome Google’s visit. Faces and number plates are blurred to avoid causing embarassment. Since the whole of the UK has already been photographed, and the UK Data Protection authorities have presumably been satisfied, I cannot see why Google’s activities should be breaking any Jersey laws. Why does Mrs Martin think she should have been informed?
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What about the military spy satillites up in the stratosphere looking down on us? What about the on street police CCTV cameras and covert police surveillance cameras? What about the people monitoring our ‘phone calls and e-mails? I am doing nothing wrong so I don’t really care – lets not get paranoid about Google taking a few photos of the island.
I am more concerned with police reports being released to a certain Stuart Syvret, apparently in complicity with police officers or civilians working at Police HQ.
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So a person taking photographs, whilst in Jersey from the road, and then posting them on their social media web site could also be contravening the relevant privacy laws as well then?
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This should be interesting – the States of Jersey vs Google who, just recently, refused to bow to requests from the government of China (population ~1,324,655,000).
I’m sure Ms Martins will have them straightened out in no time.
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If the data protection commissioner believes there is a risk that Islanders could be exposed to embarrassment and distress will she also be telling tourists to leave their digital cameras at home?
Public is public so let them get on with it and get Jersey on Google Street view.
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Don’t we have our own street and back garden viewer… the new double decker bus?
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The nanny state that is Jersey strikes again!
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Forget the privacy issues that Ms Bergerac will no doubt imprison Google for. What about regulation of undertakings, as a Jer.seyman I have had all sorts of issues establishing the right to run businesses here and Google drive off the ferry and start a business up! Then what about JCRA did they permit a monopolistic search engine company to start operating from here , chocolate bars are small beer here as you have a number of choices ,with google there are few realistic ones.
Lets penalise the easy targets with what Jersey is rapidly becoming a laughing stock over RED TAPE and avoid upsetting non-resident companies and 11Ks.
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What took them so long? They did my home island over a year ago and it’s a heck of a lot smaller and more remote than Jersey. Jersey seemed to be a bit of an afterthought with GoogleEarth as well.
The only potential danger would be around domestic violence and that’s at a real push. Still the blurring can be pointless in some situations, my mum was photographed outside her house chatting with 3 people and I could tell exactly who they were.
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Visitors want to see where their hotels are situated,how far are attractions etc.
A great site for viewing as is google earth.
How any-one can object is beyond me.
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How better to show the world that Jersey isn’t ready to move into the 21st century than by bleating about data protection issues on a system already tried and tested across half the globe.
We should be thankful they even thought to bother including our island at all.
RB
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If people dont like the Google image taken of their house, there is a simple remedy. There is provision to contact Google and have the image edited out. We did as it showed our bins on the curb which my wife did not like.
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Google are not allowed to show faces of people who they pick up on their photos. Some people can be so pathetic sometimes. What next ? People are not allowed to look at you walking past you in the street ?
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Ahh, the trusty Data Protection folks, justifying their existence with their quarterly headline grab in the JEP…
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Oh get over yourself Data Protection, my hat. So what if you are photographed. I suppose data protection keeps numerous civil servants in highly paid jobs though. The average person just doesn’t care.
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Emma
Get a life!!
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I see the ‘grammar and punctuation’ police (Andy @ 9) are out again.
I do wish people would only contribute comments that are relevant to the forum, instead of getting all upset over the occasional typo. Too much time on their hands if you ask me.
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Do you remember when England went through all of this? It was rubbished as it is here!
Do something usefull and comment on decent news on the front page.
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Right im off to throw myself at the mercy of the S of J Police, for taking pictures of the island and posting these picture’s on Facebook. Fully in the knowledge that they can be viewed by 350 million people…
I think that Emma Martins needs to go and have a sit down somewhere dark and quiet, and have a good long think about exactly what she is doing…
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I was on Channel TV last week!
I was walking along a street in the background of a news item. Could I have complained over Data Protection?
What’s wrong with these people! It’s great that the world will be able to see our island. If the States complain, it will simply endorse what we already know – they are totally out of touch
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There is nothing to stop anyone taking a picture of a house and putting it in the public domain, if they take the picture from a public road, for example.
Whether a photograph or videotape was legally taken depends on the location where it was taken, and the photographer’s status to be on that property. Generally, the public has an implied right to be on the public portions of private property.
Where the privacy element may enter in is if Google Street View drives down a private road, through what is a private estate.
Residents in California’s Humboldt County complained that google car was disregarding private property signs and driving up private roads. In January 2008, a private Minnesota community, unhappy that images of its streets and homes appeared on the site, demanded Google remove the images, which the company did.
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I wonder what odds a bookmaker would give on Mizz Martins dragging Google into the Royal Court, let alone her winning a case against that company?
Get over yourself, Emma, and find something more productive to do with your time – like making yet more paper clip chains. You know it makes sense.
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Only yesterday Google blogged about what their cars do, worth a read everyone – especially Emma
http://googlepolicyeurope.blogspot.com/2010/04/data-collected-by-google-cars.html
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So… All 31 comments above approve of Google taking the photos (as do I), what’s Emma Martins got to hide then? Do BBC & Channel ask permission everytime they film in the streets?
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I dont know what are you like ,if thats all she has to worry about.
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she only needs to worry if she has been up to no good LOL.
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Much ado about nothing. We are already subject to CCTV and other invasive monitoring from the state. Nothing is said about that.
Blue Knight what’s the problem with being kept informed of developments?
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so Jersey seems to think its better and more delicate than the rest of the world again…
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another overpaid person trying to justify their job ,
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The Data Protection Department was not informed!!
Anyway, why would Google inform them??? They are taking photos from a public road, when did this become illegal??
When walking down the road, must you not look at anyone in case they may be doing something embarrassing, or you happen to look into someones garden see something from a public place.
I also welcome Google to Jersey, their street view maps are excellent. Hopefully, they will also provide a more detailed aerial view to go with these images.
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Is it just me or is this woman in the paper every week? Trying to justify another non job i think.
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No 2 “If filming and taking pictures of other people is a data protection issue, then I would like and island wide ban on all recording equipment being used in public areas! Pathetic! ”
Hate to say it, but filming and taking pictures of someone else IS a data protection issue, that is why we all have to sign letters to allow our kids photos to be used, and Jersey Tourism use models and Channel TV get permission before filming
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Jersey is a secret society, we don’t want the like of Goggle Earth coming here and showing the outside world what we get up to behind our closed doors.
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Smacks of the police in London stpoping tourists from taking pictures of the Houses of Parliament!!
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http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/mobile-apps/2010/04/28/google-explains-why-street-view-cars-record-wi-fi-data-40088799/
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from a visitors point of view i think this is a great idea. It would showcase the island and allow prospective visitors to see the island, their hotel etc virtually before their visit. Most of the mainland has already been done without much fuss. Images of car regs are blurred and if you arnt happy about something then you can ask for it to be removed. I hope some jobsworth doesnt interfere and deny Jersey a facility that the rest of the country enjoys.
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How exciting google is coming to town with there camera with the big white lens.
I must walk around in my G-string and put my flowe in my hair!
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May be they will catch the States members filling in the hole where the millions are going!
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Get over yourself Ms Martin.
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#48
only if the person is the main subject of a photo or piece of video. If they’re incidental, in the background, then permission isn’t required.
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Typical attitude of a Jersey Civil Servant. This sums up everything that is wrong about Jersey and the way it is run.
Remind me next time I visit the island not to bring my camera or I might end up taking the rest of my holiday at La Moye! Oh and does it also mean that I have broken the law for the hundreds of photos I took of the island during the 30 years I lived there?
I was sad at having to leave Jersey a few months ago, but attitudes like this make me realise I made a very good decision. Shame on you!
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Google’s motto – do no harm
What is Data Protection’s ?
Speak first, think later
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What makes me laugh is this car joins the snail pace along the Avenue snapping away and taking loads of nice interesting pictures of traffic cones and traffic jams and mess.
When this is upload to the google earth site people who view Jersey will see this disaster area, Which I think will stay there for about 5 years before they update the map again.
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Adrian # 43. You wouldn’t say, “Much ado about nothing.” if confidential data had been published about your alleged behaviour, when it was unproven in a court of law.
I want transparency, but I want the truth which can be substantiated by admissible evidence and not innuendo and rumours. One police report published on the Syvret Blog, was merely the view of two very junior officers who criticised the decisions of highly qualified lawyers, who have a better understanding of the laws on the admissibility of evidence.
How would you like to be mentioned in a blog with allegations made about you which were so obviously untrue. Rather than highlight concerns over Google, Emma Martins would do better trying to establish how confidential police reports were made public.
The law stipulates that appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss, destruction or damage to personal data. It also requires that
personal data shall be obtained and processed only for specified and lawful purposes.
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CLANDESTINE sums the whole thing up.
Who is hiding what and why?
I HAVE NOTHING PERSONALLY THAT I DONT MIND BEING SHARED WITH THE WORLD!
DO YOU?………………..READER?
You cant blame Emma for voicing her opinions though. Maybe shese had orders from “higher beings” and been pressurised into speaking out and putting her name/job on the line?
“Serious concerns” Lucy stated..ok from who?
monkeys and organ grinder?
The good points though………
At least we’ll be able to see the road up to the “states members” drive in great detail from the comfort of our PC, right up to the BIG electric gates with gold encrusted tips, then zoom out to see the swimming pools and out buildings,(which we the tax payer quite rightfully own in an “nnth” of a away) allbeit in bit blurryvision…
———————————-
clandestine [klænˈdɛstɪn]
adj
secret and concealed, often for illicit reasons; furtive
[from Latin clandestīnus, from clam secretly; related to Latin celāre to hide]
———————————–
Latin origionated from rome, maybe clandestine means JERSEY; they used it as a stepping stone on the way to the UK and said said bugger this its to secret for us!
CALLOW.
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I better spruce up my garden i think :-/
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Just tipical.
59 Post’s for someone taking pictures around the Island,
And just 3 for people who have lost their jobs……
Sodd you Jack,
I’m O.K.
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Virtual map? Anything virtual is all the rage these days, seeing as there is virtually no monopoly in Jersey, I’m sure we will let BING have a go at mapping our streets too right?
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Emma – GO HOME!!! I can’t believe in that… Why Jersey is such behind the time big village
We should be thankful they even thought to bother including our island at all.
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So Mrs Martins fears it may cause islanders embarrassment and distress. Well if you are doing nothing wrong why would it. What a bizarre thing to come out with, it is not something that would cross peoples minds. Bring it on Google I say. For years now they have had google earth, I must say I love zooming in on the islands rich mansions. I once counted 3 swimming pools in one islanders estate.
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IRECKON THAT EVERYONE SHOULD CUT THEIR LAWNS STARKERS for a few weeks and give the island some much needed publicity
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What about the embarrassement the island has to suffer with this ridiculous piece of news. I hope she doesn’t spend too long on this, actually come to think of it what does she actually do in her role?
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jersey jim (35) I think that Emma Martins needs to go and have a sit down somewhere dark and quiet,
In exile with ex-SSS?
Claude (59) What makes me laugh is this car joins the snail pace along the Avenue snapping away and taking loads of nice interesting pictures of traffic cones and traffic jams and mess.
Yes a chance to see Jersey in the raw, the real Jersey.
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Emma Martin together with Chuck Webb of ther Competition Authority must I think rate as two of the Islands biggest jobsworths. Politicians please note for the cost cutting project !
Who could possibly have any privacy concerns over Google streetmap when the States already take aerial photos of everyones property which are then freely available and also operate full CCTV coverage of town. I always thought anyone could take a photo of whatever the photographer is in a public place.
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Its is interesting reading most of these comments that no-one seems bothered about their privacy being “invaded” (and I agree). So where has this story come from!?
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Brady Le Gume
I see the ‘grammar and punctuation’ police (Andy @ 9) are out again.
And the spelling police, Bradley.
This article is surely about kerbing pictures of the curb?
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I think all the criticism of Ms Martins is unfair. She succeeds admirably in frequently appearing on the front of the JEP and thus creating the illusion that her role is meaningful. Good work – keep it up and the golden goose will keep laying!
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Just wait for the outrage when they introduce “Night View”, taken with infra-red cameras.
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Goodness gracious me – whatever next. Get a life and a real job Ms Martins.
It would be interesting to see you taking on a big organisation like Google!! They’d eat you alive.
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Ms Martins must be desperate to justify her own existence if she is concerned about that.
America, Cnada, Australia, Europe, Great Britain etc etc etc have all allowed these cars to potter around but Martins has to pretend to be more important and knowledgable.
It might be said that the only countries unlikely to allow the Google cars in would be repressive, totalitarian states like Iran and North Korea. I certainly wouldn’t like to draw any further comparisons with Jersey!!!
The JEP take photo’s which contain images of people, their houses and their cars without their permission. CTV do likewise on film. Websites like Flickr and Panoramio contain millions of photographs from amateur and professional photographers around the world, many of which contain, in the background, images of houses, cars and people, taken without permission.
Is she ‘concerned’ about them too?
I am so glad that I have had my driveway done now!
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Will we be advised in advance when this spy van arrives in our neighbourhood. Most folk prefer privacy especially when sunbathing on the patio.
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Have you seen the picture for this “news article”?
I just Google doesn’t sue because of data protection?
You had better have a word with the JEP Emma – they have been taking pictures of the island well before we could get TV or internet, there again, there was no such department as data protection, another overpaid states department.
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Oh dear
will I have to burn my hard drive now I have been reading this site with all its pictures.
whoops,now I have really incriminated myself, I have left a trail from this site to me.
Perhaps Emma does not have a map and wont be able to find me.
Dahm, those Google people will show her the way.
Perhaps we should all go to rouge Bullion and just give ourselves up.
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How much does Mrs Martin’s department cost us the taxpayer. Or is that information classified to avoid embarrassment?
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I’m with #67 – do something to create interest in our island!! I did my lawn yesterday so I’ve missed that chance…
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I wonder if Emma Martin’s comments have been taken out of context?
I suspect JEP contacted her, and asked for her reaction to Google driving around. She may have responded by simply saying ‘No we didn’t know they were here, some people might be embarrassed by the images, we haven’t looked into any privacy laws Google are exposing’
I think Google Street View is amazing. It will be fantastic that anyone in the World can see our island. As a previous poster mentioned, Jersey Tourism could use it to benefit the industry
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The difference is that umpteen thousand images are taken wholesale of all aspects viewable via the public road system from an elevated height. This a systematic recording of the immediate area surrounding the highways and byways, without warning or optin, nor real optout.
I read that it recently came to light that they also record other ‘public’ data along the way – specifically wifi network properties (private networks or not).
Just because a limited number of people find the service useful, or have actually used the service and that it seems legal to your commonsense at first – does not mean that it should be allowed nor that there are not problems with it.
If you live by the mantra ‘its legal’ then you will be a very unpopular person frankly, especially so in the Channel Islands with the various quirks (law of trespass anyone?).
Will there be an expectation of privacy for private clos?
Persoannly I enjoy an expectation of privacy in most situations.
Dont forget private property is being photographed here, over walls, fences and hedges where most people have the good manners to not peek and are not normally privy to.
What use is a wall, fence or hedge if the entire world can look over it exactly?
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Blue Knight #60 you say “allegations made about you which were so obviously untrue.”
You actually know that do you? For a fact? Every single allegation is “so obviously” untrue?
If it were “so obvious” we wouldn’t be still talking about it. Would we?
That aside. The article was about Google and not about Mr Syvret. There seems to be plenty other relevant threads to voice your opinions on him rather than to try to hijack this one for your agenda.
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Will #83
“Dont forget private property is being photographed here, over walls, fences and hedges where most people have the good manners to not peek and are not normally privy to.”
I take it that you don’t live on a bus route then? I do and everyday I see school buses and the rest driving past looking into my garden. Do I care? Not a jot. My point being that most people do peek if given a chance. Take a look at the Connex double-decker bus thread for an example of the public’s desire to peek!
I also think that your assertion that only a limited number of people find the service useful only shows your lack of understanding of the impact of this service. Millions of people use it. If they didn’t, why would Google continue to drive down every road in most of the western world and beyond?
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Hey Will you ask “What use is a wall, fence or hedge if the entire world can look over it”
In that case you had better get in touch with NASA. They are looking over your wall…
…and (amongst others) British Airways, Flybe, EasyJet, Connex, Ronez, very tall people, tree surgeons and Santa Claus when he does his parish rounds.
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@83 Will
“..What use is a wall, fence or hedge if the entire world can look over it exactly?”
I hope Connex cease the double decker bus trial forthwith…
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The planning department photograph every property from above in detail. The difference here is, you have to pay them wads of money to get a detailed picture of your house, garden car.
Hypocrisy and data protections on a pedestal self importance comes to mind.
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This is a very fine example of what is wrong here,Grandiose ideas above station, Google must be trembling,same as Chuck Webb,thinks he can pull up Kraft over the Cadbury’s takeover …….why do we the public pay these non entities such high wages when ,the people they want to tackle probably have not even heard of the island and care less…though there must be some dosh in it for Google…..
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Re Tony Bellows comment at 37 – “Where the privacy element may enter in is if Google Street View drives down a private road, through what is a private estate”
I hope they are allowed to take photos in private estates because I live in one and personally will be jolly hacked off if my house doesn’t appear in one of their photos.
I think their Street photos are wonderful.
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Taking photographs in a public place is not illegal, however, UK Police use section 76 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 to stop and search professional photographers and prevent them from doing their work. Can we expect the SoJ Police to use similar legislation to stop and search Google Earth ?
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#83 Will, it’s a still. A split second image of your property (and possibly you) at that time. It’s not the same as people peering at you on a regular basis as their bus drives past (and they see a moving image). And if you keep an eye out for the van (it’s rather conspicuous) and don’t see it at all then chances are you haven’t been snapped.
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85, to quote what you are taking issue with :”and are not normally privy to” – amply covers the normally higher angle that most people do not enjoy whilst riding around the roads. As to the number that use the google streetview service worldwide I am not informed on that matter in regards figures and it seem neither are you. Safe to say it is merely in the millions – that is nothing, and frankly you show your ignorance rather than I on the matter.
86, Drawing a coparison between satellite imagey that if you have not noticed is very very crude to very high resolution images at 2m above ground level is truely fatuous.
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Blue Knight “much ado about nothing” was in reference to Google’s pictures. If people are upset by this why aren’t they upset by all the other types of monitoring they go through each and every day of their lives? I would be more concerned with these if I were them.
I have already given you an example on poaching. Conviction doesn’t necessarily mean guilt just as non-conviction doesn’t necessarily mean innocence does it?
I too want open and transparent government, do you really think we have/are getting it?
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where do we get these people!
Google street view rocks and I have been waiting for it to include jersey for ages.
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Just what do they have to hide on this island!
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Foxtrot Oscar # 84. Ouch – I seem to have hit a nerve. I have no agenda but to seek efficient enforement of the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005 and you have clearly misunderstood what I was endeavouring to say.
Where did I say every allegation was untrue? I was illustrating a hypothetical allegation about Adrian (See # 43) which was obviously untrue.
The subject under discussion is about the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005 – I believe the Data Protection Commissioner’s efforts would be better directed at establishing how confidential police reports had been leaked, rather than looking at Google taking photographs of the island.
The message given in your pseudonym ‘Foxtrot Oscar’, isn’t lost on me and maybe it is you that has the agenda, hence your irrational outburst.
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silly lady , just trying to justify her and one of the numerous jobsworth roles, within the States’ sectors. Who is hiring these people with self-delusional people with us , the taxpayers, money?
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Islanders could be exposed to embarrassment and distress – how pathetic.
We get these people becasuse they have to show they are doing a PC job. How sad they are so afraid of their bosses.
Typical attitude of the NEW breed of Jersyites who are certainly NOT Crapauds.
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Does this mean that those who have built extensions without planning permission will have no place to hide?
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there are some hilarious funny moments caught on street view if you search that on Google. No doubt the states will have to now employ a team of people to trawl through each and every island image in case someone has been embarrassed or distressed by an image.
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I think people are missing the issue here.
Data Protection is there to safe guard your privacy, if you object to having a photo of you or your property then you have aright to do something about it. It is there just for you. So why people have resorted to attacks on Emma Martins who is only the messenger for the law shows stupidity in my mind.
Data Protection is a Human Right and believe it or not Jersey is not the only place to have a Data Protection Law so come on, get real!
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Adrian # 94. I was referring to your earlier comment at # 43, ” What’s the problem with being kept informed of developments?” I agree to a point, however it doesn’t justify an unauthorised release of police data, which is an offence contrary to the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005 and is worthy of the attention of Emma Martins. This is unlike Google’s photographing the island, which as you say, is much ado about nothing.
In response to your question; no I don’t believe many States members are transparent – there is a too much duplicity. I guess most other governments are the same….its the real world.
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I think the average islander has a bit more backbone than Mrs Martins implies and we will not be embarrassed or distressed by this wonderful use of technology.
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Spot on no 54. Love it!
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Blue Knight 103 You assume that the release of data is unauthorised. You are out of the loop then!
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Red Boiler # 106. Even if I was in the loop(which I am not), there is no excuse for others breaching the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005 releasing confidential data into the public domain.
The issue of Google’s pics pales into insignificance compared to unauthorised release of data.
My gripe, with the very capable Mrs. Emma Martins (who herself has been attacked by Stuart Syvret), is that her efforts should be directed at preventing and detecting real data protection offences (vis-a-vis the unauthorised release of police data), rather than the innocuous taking of a photos for Google.
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i don’t see the problem, and lets face it, it’s not like there were any concerns for our privacy when planning were up in their helicopter checking everyone out!!
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Red Boiler # 106. Addendum – whilst not in the loop, I believe assumptions are the mothers of most faux pas. The promulgating of a police report on Mr.Syvret’s blog is highly unlikely to have been authorised by anyone in authority, especially when they name an individual whose guilt hasn’t been proven.
To reiterate – and to stick to the subject matter -(before Foxtrot Oscar accused me of hijacking this discussion) this is of far more concern than than Google taking pics of the island.
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I am undecided on this one, but I do think the comments aimed towards Ms Martins are harsh. As far as I can see she is just questioning whether there is a risk of embarrassment and distress to islanders. She is acting in out interests!
I have heard of incidents in the UK that burglars can check out potential properties and at a recent online safety seminar I attended, demonstrations were given on how child abusers, in a very short space of time, were able to bring up images of the homes of children they were planning on abusing.
Now that worries me far more than being caught mowing the lawn in my underwear!
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I have missed street view for Jersey, I have been there several times as tourist, and would like to see it all again, not only on my own photographs. Here in Denmark where I live the street view pictures ( some of them) breaks our laws of privacy.
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This thread is a constructed attack on Mrs Emma Martins because a couple of people are boasting about it on the vile blog.
Sad, just very sad indeed.
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I do not know about any distress which may be caused to some members of the public,but I reckon that Google Street View may cause some distress to any potential visitors.
When they see the grotesque Incinerator and the Carbuncle very near each other in what has to be the most unimpressive entrance to any Harbour in any Holiday Isle anywhere, it may just make their mind up for them.
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112 what are you doing reading the “vile blog”. I find it a very interesting source of information!
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Teresa, if thats your source of information then you may as well be living in Wonderland.
Amazing how the national media just snubbs it all eh?!
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Why do you say that Dean? Do you just believe everything you are told by those in charge and the local media?
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115. Dean, you should look closely for your information (see The Independent article dated 29/04/2010). You will find that lots of people are looking closely at what goes on in Jersey. Look beyond the local media and the tabloids. There is also an election coming up on the 6th of May!!
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#67 Jeff
‘IRECKON THAT EVERYONE SHOULD CUT THEIR LAWNS STARKERS for a few weeks and give the island some much needed publicity’
If you google satellite view a well known nudist camp in Kent you will see lots of unoccupied towels laid on the grass in their big field!
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I believe everything I read in the real media because its written sober.
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I am surprised that not a single contributor to this thread has seen the obvious silver lining in Google Earth photography.
If we let Google Earth photograph every street, road, lane and footpath in Jersey there will be an enormous financial saving to every Parish: no need for road inspectors to do their branchage patrols!
[Remind me, please: is there a boat in the morning?]
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Get a grip Emma! dont see what the big deal is
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Oh come on! Unless you are doing something you shouldn’t be, get a life! If you recognize people who are where they shouldn’t be then surely that’s a good thing in the long run?! Who cares certainly not me!
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Afternoon chappos!
If I was to take a photo of your house, zoom in get some through the windows, then maybe think about taking some of your drive and cars you’d come out and start shouting at me. But if a car comes along starts taking photos for the world to see you don’t give a see are a pee!
This is invading personal space, and shouldn’t be allowed!
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The world is moving on, some people just can’t keep up!
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The rigorous and over application of the data protection law has transformed it from any semblance of the protective shield which it purported to be into an organ of the obese bureaucratic beast, that intrusive usurper with an insatiable appetite, whose excessive body fat has spilled over, through town and countryside, across the length and breadth of this tiny island, subsuming our personal and social space and smothering the diversity and individuality which has been so colourful in the cultural life of islanders in the not so distant past
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The CCTV systems running in the Island are far more of an invasion of privacy fore those living in town and we have put up with them for years.
You country dwellers need to wake up and accept it, you think you are above us town dwellers.
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Quick Hide !!!!! Google are here Oh No !! I cant sunbath naked in my garden or go skinny dipping in my pool any more and when I walk to work I will need to wear a mask so I dont get recognised. Im so distressed Emma Martins please help me what do I do !!
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Please remove all cctv cameras from the island as it is a breach of my human rights and my permission was not asked for to film or photograph me
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