This weekend, there have been numerous reports about a couple in Western Pennsylvania that has sued Google for taking photographs of their home and displaying it on Google Street View. Aaron and Christine Boring are suing Google for violating their privacy and causing them mental distress.
Some photos of the boring house include the following three photos:
The claim is that the photograph was taken from a driveway that was labeled "Private Road" and that Google did not acknowledge the Boring's right to privacy.
I've read reports about this all weekend, and a number of people have not found any signs that indicate that the drive is private. One person suspects that the sign was put up after the fact. A forum member echoes this sentiment:
If you look at the map and street views in question, it can be confusing as to where the road ends and where the private drive, if any, begins.
Further, members are a bit annoyed that the Borings never actually requested that Google take it down. Their first stop, it seems, was litigation.
As many folks say, what was the damage here? Google Street View shows images from thousands upon thousands of homes. Why does one family decide that their privacy is violated by starting a lawsuit against Google? Is this the way to handle private matters?
Forum discussion continues at WebmasterWorld.
