Google to pay ₹10L after Street View captures man naked
What's the story
A man from Argentina has been awarded ₹10 lakh in damages after a Google Street View camera captured him naked in his own garden. The incident took place in 2017 when this man, a police officer, was enjoying some private time behind a 6.5-foot wall in his yard. However, the wall failed to block Google's Street View camera, which clicked a photo of him from behind and published it on Google Maps.
Viral incident
Photo went viral on social media
The image of the naked man not only made its way to Google Maps but was also aired on Argentine television. His house number and street name were visible in the photo, which led to it going viral on social media. The incident resulted in the man being ridiculed at work and in his neighborhood, prompting him to take legal action against Google for damages.
Legal battle
Initially, a court dismissed the man's claim
Initially, a court dismissed the man's claim, saying he should have been more careful about being naked. Google also defended itself by arguing that the wall wasn't high enough to guarantee full privacy. However, an appeals court disagreed with this view and ruled in favor of the man, stating that his privacy had clearly been violated.
Court ruling
Photo taken in private property, not public space: Appeals court
The appeals court highlighted that the photo was taken in a private property, not a public space. It also noted that Google has the technology to blur faces and license plates, hence it should have been more careful to avoid showing something so personal. The court ultimately ruled in favor of the police officer and ordered Google to pay him around $12,500 (roughly ₹10 lakh) for violating his privacy rights.