A Pennsylvania couple are suing Google for posting pictures of their home on
Google
Street View.
The couple have filed a case claiming that one of Google's vehicles which
photographs urban areas using a digital camera mounted on the roof took the
photos by driving up a road clearly marked 'Private Property'.
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"As residents living in a private road Plaintiffs had a reasonable
expectation of privacy, as well as within their exclusive residence," the filing
reads.
"The invasion of Plaintiffs was substantial and highly offensive to a
reasonable person. Revealing this information has caused Plaintiffs mental
suffering and diminished the value of their property."
Google Street View includes a function that allows homeowners to have their
pictures removed.
But it appears that the couple have not used the feature and are taking a
legal approach. They have asked for $25,000 in damages.
The couple's case is also weakened by the fact that photographs of their
home, along with their names and a detailed description, are already on the
Allegheny County real estate website.
"Isn't litigation the only way to change a big business' conduct with the
public?" the couple's attorney, Dennis Moskal, told the Boston Globe.
"What happened to their accountability?"
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