Google Street View Comes to Canada, Bringing Privacy Concerns

How do you maintain a sense of privacy in a world where cars equipped with giant cameras cruise the streets taking candid photos? That’s a question many Canadians must now be asking themselves since Google Street View went live in numerous Canadian cities yesterday afternoon.

Google Street View, which has attracted criticism in the United States and elsewhere throughout the world, challenges our collective notion of privacy. Legally, a person standing on a public street does not have a reasonable expectation privacy. However, does that mean that they also have no say over whether or not their image is displayed to millions of Internet users worldwide?

Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, has been in the news frequently lately for her attempts to advance privacy efforts and hold websites more accountable for protecting users’ rights. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Stoddart was quick to warn Google that Street View was in potential conflict with Canada’s privacy laws. Her efforts prompted Google to institute new technology that blurs out faces and license plates. While this technology is not always effective, it is a significant step for Google and a sign that the company is willing to work with local governments on privacy issues.

The work that Jennifer Stoddart and other political leaders like her are doing is admirable, but government intervention alone will not solve our continually evolving privacy problems. Rather, there must be a concerted and combined effort between individuals, government entities, and private businesses. As we continue to celebrate National Cyber Security Awareness Month, we should all think of ways to make the Internet a safer and more useful place.