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[–] 34 points 2 months ago (4 children)

So I have to send private documentation to google, who promises bro to delete within 60 days...

How about they just not take detailed pictures of residential streets? We know they can autoblurr licenses and faces; do the same to residential homes.

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  • [–] 11 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    I did it and they didn't ask me anything. Still, it should be opt-in, not opt-out, it's my fucking property why is Google mapping it.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    Did you have to be logged in?

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  • [–] 47 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    This is generally a bad idea unless you have a very specific threat model, as it makes your house stand out from the ones nearby, and may even then attract more unwanted attention.

    See also: Streisand effect

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago

    However, I feel this would be less of an issue if everyone (or more realistically a majority did this.) Though with that being said you would have to give more information to Google to have your front door blurred.

    So, the better option would be that everyone's front door was blurred by default. But I don't see that being the case.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 months ago

    I’ve found razor wire works best, put it on the walls most likely to be used and tops of your gates.

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  • [–] 6 points 2 months ago

    usually I just streak naked and run at the google car as soon as I see it. they blur out the rest.

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  • [–] 13 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    This makes no sense to do from a privacy standpoint because it makes your house stand out.

    The only situation in which this would be effective is if you and a shit ton of neighbors did this at the same time so they can't pinpoint who the "problem person" is.

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  • [–] 12 points 2 months ago (3 children)

    What's on your door that you might not want people to see? I really can't think of anything. (Generally the private things go inside the house...)

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  • [–] 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    What if you have a huge window, or a door that happened to be open right as the street view car drove past? When Google is taking millions of measurements a year they are going to see a lot of unusual events.

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  • The likelihood of a street view car driving past at the same time as you had the door open is so incredibly small. And if you had a giant window why would you be worried about street view car getting a good view inside.

    Most thieves are thieves of opportunity. Unless you e got a massive million dollar house they’re not stalking it online.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    FYI by permanent this means that even if the property is sold it can't be undone. Some previous homeowner can decide and then it's stuck like that for eternity (or until Google changes their policy I guess).

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (1 child)

    The image does say the owner can request to undo

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  • [–] 1 point 2 months ago

    I had heard elsewhere that it was permanent as someone was frustrated that their house was blurred by a past owner. To me that phrasing on the image is unclear. Only a valid owner can request it to be blurred, that part is true, but it's not clear if ownership is enough to allow for an undo.

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