by We already know that Google is a master at peeping at us. I’m not all that bothered about Google having their street teams out and about if it means that it will be easier for me to find my way to the Nederlander theater. I feel a little odd, if it is a true report, about the idea of Google entering stores and allowing people to virtually walk around them.
Let us think back to an incident of nearly three years ago. A woman became convinced that Google Maps was spying on her because her cat happened to be looking out the window the same day that Google drove their van past her house. She was certain that she would have to have her shades drawn forevermore or face having online spies look in on her.
Google Maps has also done a smashing good job of catching crime — though the Google team seems considerably better at documenting the crime than doing anything about it. I can’t help but wonder what it must be like to be one of those people caught in the act of breaking the law, having your photo put on hundreds of web sites for public scrutiny and ridicule.
I also wonder if the people in the photos turned around after being “caught” by the internet and decided that breaking the law was not the best idea and reformed themselves. A remote possibility, but not out of the question.
Now we have Google entering stores and with its entrance we wonder where Google won’t point its unblinking eye — will bedrooms remain free of the Google camera?
I’m a little confused why you think Google going into stores to “map” the contents is a bad thing. I’d love to “virtually shop” in a store and look around and compare prices and see how big the store was before ordering or visiting in person. To be able to virtually browse a real store seems more like a blessing than a curse. What am I missing?
I suppose I’m just imagining the hundreds of already paranoid people that will, if they happen to be digitally captured during Google’s store tours, think that Google really is following them!