Google Street View Clears in UK

The Google Street View program can continue its service in Britain if the company make sure that faces and addresses are blurred.

The privacy watchdog of Britain ruled Thursday that such service should not be removed, rejecting complaints by privacy advocates to stop the Internet search giant from mapping Britain with its Street View program.

The street view service allows Web users to explore the streets in a 360-degree images captured by a clutch of cameras positioned on the top of cars that drove through streets. Privacy advocates said the service could help aid unscrupulous individuals.

In a world where many people tweet, Facebook and blog it is important to take a common-sense approach towards Street View and the relatively limited privacy intrusion it may cause, said Information Commissioner Office (ICO) spokesman David Evans.

Under consideration, Google said they took privacy concerns seriously, adding built in tools to blur sensitive information.