- Google ordered to pay Rs 10.8 lakh to Argentine man photographed naked in his backyard
- The man was behind a 6-foot-6 wall when Google Street View captured the image in 2017
- Lower court dismissed case, but appeals panel ruled invasion of privacy was blatant
Google has been forced to pay approximately Rs 10.8 lakh ($12,500) to an Argentine man after he was photographed completely naked in his backyard by a Google Street View car. The man argued in court that his dignity was harmed by the internet giant despite him being behind a 6-foot-6 wall, in a small Argentine town in 2017.
The man, a police officer by profession, claimed the invasion exposed him to ridicule at work and among his neighbours, according to a report in CBS News. While his bare behind was splashed on the internet for everyone to see, Google did not even blur his house number and street name, which were clearly visible in the image.
He sued Google in 2019, but a lower court initially dismissed the case, faulting the man for being outside in an "inappropriate condition". However, an appeals panel reversed that decision this month. Google, in its defence, claimed that the perimeter wall was not high enough.
"This involves an image of a person not captured in a public space, but within the confines of their home, behind a fence taller than the average-sized person," the court observed, adding: "The invasion of privacy...is blatant."
Awarding the sum in compensation, the court said: "No one wants to appear exposed to the world as the day they were born."
Google's blurring policy
The court also cited Google's policy of automatically blurring faces and license plates as evidence that it was aware of a duty to avoid harm to third parties. However, in this case, the man's "entire naked body" was visible, the judges said, and the image should have been flagged.
"We have developed cutting-edge face and license plate blurring technology that is designed to blur identifiable faces and license plates within Google-contributed imagery in Street View," Google's website about its Street View policy states.
The company adds that "if you would like us to blur your entire house, car, or body, submit a request using the 'Report a problem' tool."
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