Google Street View often has its share of surprises and unexpected discoveries. The body of an elderly woman who had been missing for two years, for example, had been found by Google’s 3D navigation service. And as with every update, Internet users have made new discoveries.
In fact, Google cars captured new images in March 2023. Thus, we can now discover piles of garbage on certain streets in France, due to the strike of garbage collectors during the movement against pension reform. Several streets in Paris have seen their image change, such as rue des Acacias in the 17th arrondissement of the capital.
Demonstration against the pension reform
But beyond the trash cans here and there on the streets, Street View also offers more unusual scenes, such as a 360-degree view of one of the protests against pension reform, captured again in March 2023.
Thus, when taking the Street View view of the “Strasbourg Saint-Denis” venue, in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, the Internet user finds himself in the middle of a demonstration, with a trash can in front of the barred metro entrance.
However, one detail raises questions when looking at this 360-degree view of the event: No faces are blurred. However, it is common for Google Maps to blur certain elements of your images.
On its site, the company indicates that “collections of street images and photo tours are automatically blurred to hide identifying information, such as faces and license plates. For photospheres (360-degree images, editor’s note), it is up to the photographer to decide which elements of their photos should be blurred to respect the privacy of others.
Photos not necessarily taken by Google
Google specifies Tech&Co that these images are not necessarily taken by the company itself, but can be taken by professional photographers working for Google, but also by Internet users. These images can be embedded without verification, even if Google post-verifies the content through its human and technical moderation.
The photos of the demonstration in Strasbourg Saint-Denis were taken by the Internet user “Smoothie Orange”, indicated as “local guide level 7”. Google “local guides” refer to users of Google Maps providing frequent and helpful feedback on nearby directions, such as restaurants.
Google informs Tech&Co that it is evaluating these images to determine whether or not they comply with its terms of use.
Source: BFM TV
