Google Rolls Out Street View Time Travel To Celebrate 20 Years of Google Earth (arstechnica.com) 11
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: After 20 years, being able to look at any corner of the planet in Google Earth doesn't seem that impressive, but it was a revolution in 2005. Google Earth has gone through a lot of changes in that time, and Google has some more lined up for the service's 20th anniversary. Soon, Google Earth will help you travel back in time with historic Street View integration, and pro users will get some new "AI-driven insights" -- of course Google can't update a product without adding at least a little AI. [...] While this part isn't new, Google is also using the 20th anniversary as an opportunity to surface its 3D timelapse feature. These animations use satellite data to show how an area has changed from a higher vantage point. They're just as cool as when they were announced in 2021.
The AI layers are launching in the coming weeks in Google Earth web and mobile as part of Google's Professional Advanced offering. If you use that version of Earth, you should have access to a collection of so-called "AI-driven insights." For instance, you can find the average surface temperature or tree canopy coverage in a given area. This could be of help in urban planning or construction, but it's unclear how many of these insights the app will have. Google says the AI angle here is that the new layers use machine learning to categorize pixels. It's possible Google has just reached the "AI as a buzzword" stage.
The AI layers are launching in the coming weeks in Google Earth web and mobile as part of Google's Professional Advanced offering. If you use that version of Earth, you should have access to a collection of so-called "AI-driven insights." For instance, you can find the average surface temperature or tree canopy coverage in a given area. This could be of help in urban planning or construction, but it's unclear how many of these insights the app will have. Google says the AI angle here is that the new layers use machine learning to categorize pixels. It's possible Google has just reached the "AI as a buzzword" stage.
GDPR? (Score:3)
Re:GDPR? (Score:4, Informative)
There is a legitimate purpose for the photos, they do not contain any PII, and if you blur faces then there's really no privacy concerns at all.
You do not have a right to not have your house photographed. If they were labeling your home with your PII, that would fall afoul of the GDPR.
Re: (Score:1)
Hence families have 8 foot high walls.
Having those high walls is a sign that your government is broken. You only need them because your government cannot defend you, or because you need defense from your government, or of course both.
You cannot fix this problem by stopping Google from taking photos on your street and sharing them.
Re: (Score:1)
Hence families have 8 foot high walls.
Google raping your privacy.
Don't be naiive. Families have 8 foot walls because politicians have decided that high trust societies aren't conducive to massive fearmongering and power grabs. Thus, the people on the other side of their walls have become a threat to their livelihood and possibly lives.
Re: (Score:2)
There is a legitimate purpose for the photos
Stalking, and calculating property tax increases?
if you blur faces then there's really no privacy concerns at all
You can sometimes identify someone without being able to see their face, such as by their vehicle (e.g., parked in the driveway), or if kids live there (via yard toys, bikes, etc.), etc. As long as photos are taken from public spaces, then yes, it is legal, but it is not accurate to say there are "no privacy concerns."
Street View Time Machine isn't new (Score:3)
*Any* corner? (Score:2)
Does it work for mainland China? I hear it is not very clever...
Why not keeping up to date? (Score:2)
Google put a massive effort into creating their maps and street map. What I don't understand, is why they don't think it's worth keeping up-to-date?
I live in a semi-rural location, and both the satellite pics and the maps are around 10 years out of date. I have submitted map corrections, as well as requested new imagery, several times over the years. Nothing.
Re: (Score:2)
pro users will get some new "AI-driven insights" (Score:2)
Finally, a company that disincentivizes service upgrades.