Search Engine Optimization News Blog

Switzerland is having major issues with Google Street View, much like many European countries. In this case, Google lands back in court over the situation because of privacy concerns. The BBC reports that Swiss privacy official Hanspeter Thuer claimed special concern over the privacy of people in sensitive locations such as hospitals, prisons or schools.

He also said that the height of the camera was problematic because it allowed a view over fences, hedges and walls, meaning that more could be seen from Street View, which allows a 360-degree view of any street-level location, than by a passerby. The official Swiss request is that Google “immediately withdraw its online service Google Street View concerning Switzerland.”

“Numerous faces and vehicle number plates are not made sufficiently unrecognisable,” said data protection commissioner Hanspeter Thuer.

Google said they were not expecting the complaint:

“We were surprised by the FDPIC’s announcement. We have been engaged in constructive dialogue with the organization ahead of [last] week’s launch to demonstrate how we protect people’s privacy on Street View,” says a Google spokesperson.

The commissioner said Google was asked in August to take various measures and had not complied with the requests. Theur has petitioned a tribunal to order Google to remove all pictures of Switzerland and to cease taking any more until a ruling has been made. However, Google Street View is still up and running, with the copany contesting the request.

The BBC quotes a Google official as saying the company will “vigorously contest” the lawsuit. Google says that very few Swiss users asked Google to remove Street View images, and concerning the few that have, they delete promptly – within hours “in most cases.”

Google claims Swiss consumers in general are happy with the service; Google attorney Peter Fleischer tells the AP that “Google Maps had an 80 percent increase in volume and only a small number of requests to erase pictures.”