Drea Knufken
Update: This story is a hoax. Nice work, Mark Stephens. More here.
Google Cheat View is an informal new use for Google Streetview. The Sun reports that a wife caught her husband cheating when she found his Range Rover parked at her friend’s house through Google Streetview. The husband had claimed he was away on business. When the wife found out that “business” really meant getting busy, she filed for divorce.
According to the article, this isn’t an isolated case. A man complained to Google when Streetview snapped him walking out of a sex shop. Another person was caught smoking in front of a No Smoking sign.
If Google introduces a technology, and it results in broken marriages, embarrassment, and lawsuits, is it Google’s responsibility to protect or redeem individuals? Or is it up to the individual to avoid improper use of the technology? What do you think?
(Ed.: I quoted this article from the Sun. A quick fact-check would have shown that the probability of Google Streetview catching this kind of thing would have been little to none, as Google’s van is far from a 24/7 surveillance vehicle. Whoops! I’ll avoid the Sun from now on, and probably Fox. It’s a good reminder to stay skeptical of outrageous claims.)
