Privacy Digest

Google Street Pics May Violate Canadian Privacy Law:

Canada's privacy commissioner has sent a letter to Google asking questions about its new Street View application, which captures street-level images -- including images of clearly identifiable privacy advocates.

Street views aren't yet available for places in Canada, but in her letter Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart points out that the application, if and when it does include Canadian images, could violate Canada's 2004 Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. The law requires that businesses that collect, use or disclose personal information about people do so with the individual’s consent. 'Even with consent, businesses are required to limit the collection, use and disclosure of personal information to purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate under the circumstances,' she writes.

She also points out that although Google offers some redress for individuals who don't want their faces exposed in the street views, this is inadequate.

I understand that there is a function within Street View which allows viewers to request that certain images be removed. This is only a partial solution, however, given that individuals may not be aware that images relating to them are on Street View. As well, by the time individuals become aware that images relating to them are contained in Street View, their privacy rights may already have been affected.

(Read Original Article - Via Threat Level.)