The Relatives Frozen in Time on Google Street View (bbc.com) 29
An anonymous reader shares a report : Social-media users are sharing Google Street View images featuring friends and relatives who have since died. It was sparked by a post on the Twitter account Fesshole, which asks followers to submit anonymous confessions -- many of which are explicit. The original poster said they had searched the map platform for images taken before their father had died. Launched in the US in 2007, Google Street View has since rolled out worldwide. The BBC's Neil Henderson shared an image of his late father at his front door. "I have literally hundreds of pics of my dad but the Google Street View is quite affecting, like he's still around," he wrote. Another tweeter showed an image of a couple holding hands in the street - his parents, he said, who had died several years ago.
One captured a lady just outside her doorway. "My mum creeping outside for a cigarette," wrote Bernard Baker. Others said just seeing local images taken when their loved ones were still alive made them feel a connection. And some expressed regret images poignant to them had been replaced with more recent photos. There is, however, a way to look back at previous incarnations -- by tapping the clock icon on the top left-hand side of Google Maps (the feature does not appear on Google Earth), if it is there. Karim Palant used this tool to find a former image of his late grandfather Charles Palant, taken from the street in 2015 and showing him leaning out of his window from his apartment in Paris to talk to his carer below.
One captured a lady just outside her doorway. "My mum creeping outside for a cigarette," wrote Bernard Baker. Others said just seeing local images taken when their loved ones were still alive made them feel a connection. And some expressed regret images poignant to them had been replaced with more recent photos. There is, however, a way to look back at previous incarnations -- by tapping the clock icon on the top left-hand side of Google Maps (the feature does not appear on Google Earth), if it is there. Karim Palant used this tool to find a former image of his late grandfather Charles Palant, taken from the street in 2015 and showing him leaning out of his window from his apartment in Paris to talk to his carer below.
obligatory (Score:1)
Of course, it made us think of this:
"“I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”
Why the frack can't we get movies like this any longer?
Re:obligatory (Score:5, Informative)
Of course, it made us think of this:
"“I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.”
Why the frack can't we get movies like this any longer?
The least common denominator principle. Look at The Expanse, for example. It was relatively hard sci-fi, it had an intelligent plot, it was well done, and you had to pay attention to understand what was going on. Naturally, it got cancelled and Amazon had to go in and salvage the last season. On the other hand, what are we on for Survivor now, season 42?
Re: (Score:2)
Why the frack can't we get movies like this any longer?
To be fair, there weren't many movies like that in the 80s, either.
Google Street View Story (Score:2)
Re:Google Street View Story (Score:4, Funny)
We remember Rogers well.
"Speedy delivery! Speedy delivery!" (Score:2)
Guys (Score:5, Funny)
There are pictures on the internet!
PICTURES!!
Next thing we'll know they'll show the past and you'll be able to see people in them who aren't alive anymore. It will be wild!
This is an incredible story, and I'm really glad to be living in a time when /. can boldly tell us about pictures on the internet.
Re: (Score:2)
Next will be the story of the family suing google for posting pictures of their deceased family members.
Blurred Faces (Score:4, Interesting)
I've come across images of people (myself included) in the past using Google Street View and faces were blurred. Is that no longer the case?
Re: Blurred Faces (Score:2)
Same here. I have no idea how these people are able to have access to streetview imagery without facial blurring.
In absence of evidence, i call this fake newsâ¦hopefully some else can provide some way to access this alternative imagebaseâ¦
Re: (Score:2)
Before my dad died, I showed him his photo (Score:3, Interesting)
WHY doesn't Google Earth have historical images? (Score:2)
WHY doesn't Google Earth have historical streetview images?
The SF story, Light of Other Days, and slow glass (Score:3, Interesting)
Not quite family, but my cat was on there (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: Not quite family, but my cat was on there (Score:2)
OK, so this is nowhere near the same level of sadness or nostalgia. But for several years the Street View of my previous house featured my cat, sitting on the doorstep waiting for me to come home. He's even looking at the Google car going past, perhaps hoping someone will get out, let him in, and feed him. Said kitty was the best cat I've ever had - fierce enough to chase dogs, but he adored me more than any other pet I've had. He went to the great big farm in the sky back in 2016, so it was nice to see him still staking out my old front door.
I had a similar experience with one of my dogs. There he was, standing in the front yard, no doubt watching the Google car drive by.
I was really sad when they updated the images. Now I've got to see about that History button!
Lucky ... (Score:3)
Lucky that is illegal in most countries to show faces, car registration numbers or house numbers on on google street view.
How macabre is that? You want to see pictures of your deceased relatives on street view? Please meet a mental doctor.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, how macabre. We should make it illegal to possess pictures of deceased people. </dripping_sarcasm>
Re: (Score:2)
Or perhaps it reflects how heartless you are.
Street View is a feature provided primarily so you can look around and see what the street looks like before you actually drive it and have to figure it out. It's invaluable in that respect.
But, it turns out, that it has an unintended side effect. It's also a snapshot in time, and more importantly most of the images were taken before the pandemic.
Re: (Score:2)
Lucky that is illegal in most countries to show faces, car registration numbers or house numbers on on google street view.
I can see some rationale in the first two restrictions; the third (bolded) strikes me as a classic example of a world gone mad.
Fortunately the UK does not appear to be, or was not the last time I used Street View, one of these putative "most countries".
Re: Lucky ... (Score:2)
Lucky that is illegal in most countries to show faces, car registration numbers or house numbers on on google street view.
How macabre is that? You want to see pictures of your deceased relatives on street view? Please meet a mental doctor.
It is you that desperately needs mental help.
That, or you have never lost someone you love. If you can actually love at all...
Re: (Score:2)
'on somebody elses computer' (Score:2)
Download it if you care about it.
Not just for people (Score:1)
new business for google (Score:2)
Google can let you pay to be immortalized in street view.