July 2, 2023, 9:16 am | Read time: 3 minutes
Google is once again driving through the streets across Germany to capture Street View images. However, not everyone wants their house to appear on Maps. Find out here what homeowners and tenants can do about it.
They are back on the roads throughout Germany: Google is collecting panoramic images of streets using camera cars to update the street views (Street View) in the Maps application. So, you might encounter a Google car with a camera mast. Google reveals where exactly through a query option on the Street View page (“The next destinations for Street View images”). Although only accurate to the month, it is at least broken down to the city or at least the district.
New Images Not Online Before Mid-July
Currently, trips in Germany are planned until October 2023. Additionally, Google had already taken new images in the country during 2022. According to Google, all this material will not be posted online before mid-July.
So, there is still enough time for all homeowners or tenants to have their houses or apartments blurred in the images. They have this right–even in advance, such as via an online form.
Important: Anyone who has already had their property blurred for the current Street View version and wishes to keep it that way must still object again.
Objection Is Possible at Any Time
Otherwise, blurring is still possible at any time after the publication of the new street views. To do this, open the relevant view in Google Maps, click on the three-dot menu at the top left or right, and select “Report a problem.”
The function is not only intended for facade cases but also if something offensive or potentially copyright-infringing that Google missed is visible in the street views.
Faces and license plates are still automatically blurred, so they are displayed in such a way that nothing can be recognized or no one can be identified.
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Blurring in Apple Look Around
Apple handles it similarly in its “Look Around” photo street view of its Maps app. There, too, each view includes the menu item “Report a problem,” which allows users to alert Apple to problematic images or their own house they no longer wish to see.
Old Views Are Still Available
The old and older street views from Google are still useful: For certain places where views have been captured over many years, Google Maps offers a so-called archive function. A slider allows you to see how the location has changed over time.
With material from dpa