Argentine court slams Google for privacy breach after image of unclothed police officer goes viral
An Argentine man has been awarded ₹10.8 lakh (approx. $12,500) in damages after Google Street View captured him completely naked in his backyard. The court ruled that this was a serious violation of privacy, rejecting Google’s defense that the wall around the house was not tall enough.
🔍 What Happened?
- The incident took place in 2017 in a small town in Argentina.
- A Google Street View car photographed the man, a police officer, while he was naked in his own backyard.
- Despite being behind a 6-foot-6 wall, the man’s entire body was visible in the image, which also revealed his house number and street name.
- The image went viral online, causing embarrassment at work and among neighbors.
⚖️ Legal Battle: Privacy vs. Technology
- The man sued Google in 2019, but a lower court initially dismissed his claim, blaming him for being in a “compromising state” outdoors.
- An appeals court later reversed the decision, ruling that the invasion of privacy was “blatant.”
- The judges emphasized: “No one wants to appear exposed to the world as the day they were born.”
🛡 Google’s Defense & Policy in Question
- Google argued the wall was not high enough to guarantee privacy.
- The court, however, noted that Street View’s own blurring policy (which typically blurs faces and license plates) was not applied in this case.
- The judges criticized the tech giant for failing to flag or blur the man’s fully exposed image.
📄 Google’s Official Street View Policy Includes:
- Automatic blurring of faces and license plates.
- Option for users to request removal or blurring of houses, vehicles, or full bodies via the ‘Report a problem’ tool.
🧾 Final Verdict & Compensation
- The appeals court awarded the man ₹11 lakh ($12,500) in damages.
- The ruling sets a critical precedent on the limits of public photography and the responsibility of tech companies in protecting individual privacy.
Also Read : Children’s Plea to Clean Playground in Aligarh Goes Viral, Reaches MP Imran Masood
