Google Street View on Google Maps in the Phoenix and Scottsdale Area: Dad, you left the trunk open!

Google Street View on Google Maps: Dad, you left the trunk open!

Steve Belt covered the launch of Google Street View in the Phoenix and Scottsdale Area last October. I was fascinated and, for the most part, I was thinking that Google Street Maps would be a great additional marketing tool. I was right, and Realbird.com is one of the first platforms I know of which is taking advantage Google Street View. Even without Google offering an API, Realbird.com now offers the capability of integrating Google Street Maps on their single property websites via an embeddable widget, transforming them into virtual tours of the neighborhood.

On the flip side, Steve pointed out a valid issue, that of people being concerned about their privacy:

The controversy of Street View stems from the fact that some of the images captured and stitched together include people going about their daily lives.

Until now, I was not too personally concerned with privacy issues, but that changed when I saw “The Untapped Powers of Street View on Google Maps” on the Bloodhound Blog. The Vacationeers are hilarious but their skit raised my concern about my privacy a little bit.

No, I am not too worried about aliens and I am not paranoid - but you should have seen my dads face when I told him that Google notified me that he left the trunk-lid open on his Cadillac when he was over at my house. (My dad is 74, does not speak any English and the only thing “Computer” he knows is FreeCell on a Windows 2000 machine - he thought the department of homeland security had zeroed in on him).

I I promise, the bald guy is not me.

Now, how about the guy at the bus stop up the street scarfing down a Big Mac… while picking his nose?

How about this former listing?

Darn, It looks like I have to get new license plates.

I never thought that Google Street Maps would ever be so close to home. So next time watch out for the gray van with the sci-fi looking turret cruising your neighborhood.

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