Swiss court rules against Google (on privacy)

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Source: Deutche Welle News

A Swiss court has ruled that Google must do more to ensure privacy and anonymity on Google Street View in Switzerland. The Federal Administrative Court of Switzerland found that Google had not made a sufficient effort to blur cars' license plates or people's faces.

An English-language statement released on the court's website on Monday said Google must "make all faces and number plates unrecognizable before the pictures can be published on the Internet." Google is able to blur about 98 percent of people's faces using an algorithm.

However, this is inadequate according to Swiss data protection commissioner Hanspeter Thür, who announced in November 2009 that he would take Google to court for flouting the country's privacy laws. According to Monday's ruling, Google must ensure that every face and license plate photographed in Switzerland is rendered anonymous, even if the company must do so manually.

In addition, the ruling stated that Google must provide much better warning of scheduled Street View photography times. "One week in advance, they must advise the public through the local press that they will take the pictures," said Andrea Arcidiacono, a Federal Administrative Court of Switzerland spokesperson, in an interview with Deutsche Welle.

Read more: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,14967281,00.html?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf