Discussion:
Google blurring out.... Highway Shields in StreetView
(too old to reply)
rickmastfan67
2009-03-23 10:09:40 UTC
Permalink
That's right. Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView....... Was just looking in the Greenville, SC area and
they where on a blurring out spree blurring out US-29, US-123, I-385
shields. You name it, it was blurred out. I personally find this
completely whacked out.

Here are two examples:

A blurred out US-29 shield:
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&ll=34.851757,-82.392021&spn=0,359.996958&z=19&layer=c&cbll=34.851754,-82.391909&panoid=Xx4zf92q-V4reVC78m2PYQ&cbp=12,277.945192461729,,0,13.180139982014436

A blurred out US-123 shield:
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=34.852196,-82.389373&panoid=Iz7MnlGp1-uYP6sHbhnivw&cbp=12,277.3201924617289,,0,9.499584426458877&ll=34.852217,-82.389269&spn=0,359.996524&z=19

Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
H.B. Elkins
2009-03-23 12:47:18 UTC
Permalink
Post by rickmastfan67
That's right. Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView....... Was just looking in the Greenville, SC area and
they where on a blurring out spree blurring out US-29, US-123, I-385
shields. You name it, it was blurred out. I personally find this
completely whacked out.
Reckon they have some sort of algorithm that blocks out all numbers, to wipe
license plates, and it automatically gets road signs?
--
To reply by e-mail, remove the "restrictor plate"
m***@usends.com
2009-03-23 13:24:20 UTC
Permalink
...Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView.......
Sometime in 2008, in response to privacy concerns, Google started
running its Street View panoramas through an algorithm that's supposed
to blur people's faces. This is right about the time I began noticing
blurred highway shields, so my suspicion has been that it's an
unintended effect of this same software program.
Michael Moroney
2009-03-23 15:35:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by m***@usends.com
...Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView.......
Sometime in 2008, in response to privacy concerns, Google started
running its Street View panoramas through an algorithm that's supposed
to blur people's faces. This is right about the time I began noticing
blurred highway shields, so my suspicion has been that it's an
unintended effect of this same software program.
I happened to notice a few weeks ago that Google blurred out the display
on a natural gas meter for a building. Not that it would have been
readable without doing so.

A while back I saw a webpage that made a wisecrack at Google for blurring
the face of a horse in NYC's Central Park, saying that someone at Google
was playing around.
Premier Bush
2009-03-24 02:34:35 UTC
Permalink
Post by rickmastfan67
That's right. Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView....... Was just looking in the Greenville, SC area and
they where on a blurring out spree blurring out US-29, US-123, I-385
shields. You name it, it was blurred out. I personally find this
completely whacked out.
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&ll=34.851757,-82.392021&spn=0,359.996958&z=19&layer=c&cbll=34.851754,-82.391909&panoid=Xx4zf92q-V4reVC78m2PYQ&cbp=12,277.945192461729,,0,13.180139982014436
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=34.852196,-82.389373&panoid=Iz7MnlGp1-uYP6sHbhnivw&cbp=12,277.3201924617289,,0,9.499584426458877&ll=34.852217,-82.389269&spn=0,359.996524&z=19
Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
I've noticed the same thing. The main reason I use SV and they screw it up.
d***@gmail.com
2012-11-01 23:02:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by Premier Bush
Post by rickmastfan67
That's right. Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView....... Was just looking in the Greenville, SC area and
they where on a blurring out spree blurring out US-29, US-123, I-385
shields. You name it, it was blurred out. I personally find this
completely whacked out.
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&ll=34.851757,-82.392021&spn=0,359.996958&z=19&layer=c&cbll=34.851754,-82.391909&panoid=Xx4zf92q-V4reVC78m2PYQ&cbp=12,277.945192461729,,0,13.180139982014436
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=34.852196,-82.389373&panoid=Iz7MnlGp1-uYP6sHbhnivw&cbp=12,277.3201924617289,,0,9.499584426458877&ll=34.852217,-82.389269&spn=0,359.996524&z=19
Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
I've noticed the same thing. The main reason I use SV and they screw it up.
How to report a concern

If you've found an image that you would like un-blurred, just follow these steps:

Locate the image in Street View.
Click "Report a problem" in the bottom-left of the image window.
Complete the form and click "Submit."

That's it. We'll review your report promptly.
f***@outlook.com
2017-02-19 08:10:00 UTC
Permalink
Post by rickmastfan67
That's right. Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView....... Was just looking in the Greenville, SC area and
they where on a blurring out spree blurring out US-29, US-123, I-385
shields. You name it, it was blurred out. I personally find this
completely whacked out.
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&ll=34.851757,-82.392021&spn=0,359.996958&z=19&layer=c&cbll=34.851754,-82.391909&panoid=Xx4zf92q-V4reVC78m2PYQ&cbp=12,277.945192461729,,0,13.180139982014436
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=34.852196,-82.389373&panoid=Iz7MnlGp1-uYP6sHbhnivw&cbp=12,277.3201924617289,,0,9.499584426458877&ll=34.852217,-82.389269&spn=0,359.996524&z=19
Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
Oh yes! This is higly annoying!
I allways preparey a journey by looking at street view.
Now I can't read the signs!!
Kenny McCormack
2017-02-19 19:56:36 UTC
Permalink
Post by rickmastfan67
Post by rickmastfan67
That's right. Google is starting to blur out highway shields in
StreetView....... Was just looking in the Greenville, SC area and
they where on a blurring out spree blurring out US-29, US-123, I-385
shields. You name it, it was blurred out. I personally find this
completely whacked out.
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&ll=34.851757,-82.392021&spn=0,359.996958&z=19&layer=c&cbll=34.851754,-82.391909&panoid=Xx4zf92q-V4reVC78m2PYQ&cbp=12,277.945192461729,,0,13.180139982014436
http://maps.google.com/?om=1&ie=UTF8&layer=c&cbll=34.852196,-82.389373&panoid=Iz7MnlGp1-uYP6sHbhnivw&cbp=12,277.3201924617289,,0,9.499584426458877&ll=34.852217,-82.389269&spn=0,359.996524&z=19
Post by rickmastfan67
Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
Oh yes! This is higly annoying!
I allways preparey a journey by looking at street view.
Now I can't read the signs!!
Any idea why they do it? As seems clear from this thread, it makes no sense!

What would the Googlemasters say if we asked them?
--
I've been watching cat videos on YouTube. More content and closer to
the truth than anything on Fox.
Larry Sheldon
2017-02-19 20:17:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by Kenny McCormack
Post by f***@outlook.com
Post by rickmastfan67
Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
Oh yes! This is higly annoying!
I allways preparey a journey by looking at street view.
Now I can't read the signs!!
Any idea why they do it? As seems clear from this thread, it makes no sense!
What would the Googlemasters say if we asked them?
Looks to me like the obvious guess is: The Goggle Lawyers (the ultimate
governors of All Information) have decreed that software (no expensive
humans involved) WILL detect ALL images that MIGHT contain things that
Gooogle might be sued over, and will obliterate such images.

My guess is that the "back one shot" thing is mandated by police-imposed
court order.
--
quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
-- Juvenal
Michael Moroney
2017-02-20 01:01:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by rickmastfan67
Now with the US-123 shield, if you go backwards one shot, it isn't
blurred. So, I don't know what Google is up to with blurring the
shields. Blurring people license plates, I have no problem with, but
route markers? That's just nuts.
My guess is they have software designed to blur license plates, likely
for legal reasons. The software isn't smart enough to realize those things
with numbers aren't license plates but highway signs, and Google never
taught the SW the difference and they don't need to be blurred.

Loading...