Google Street View Car Comes to Bedford Borough - Lib Dems Call for Residents' Privacy to be Protected (North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats)

North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats <bedford@bedfordlibdems.org>

Google Street View Car Comes to Bedford Borough - Lib Dems Call for Residents' Privacy to be Protected

May 22, 2009 8:20 PM

Street level images of Bedford and the surrounding area could soon be featuring on the controversial Google Street View website

The Google Street View Car has arrived in Bedford Borough, taking street level photographs for inclusion on the controversial Google Street View website. Liberal Democrats have responded by calling on Google to ensure that local residents' privacy is protected.

Liberal Democrat parliamentary campaigner for Bedford and Kempston Henry Vann said: "From my point of view there are really serious privacy concerns.

"There has been a case in Watford of someone in a witness protection scheme being found. It's those people who have a real need for privacy that there is a real concern for.'

"At the very least we need the guarantee that faces and number plates of cars will be blocked."

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Brickhill Ward Charles Royden added: "We have to make sure this powerful technology is regulated in the correct way and does not affect our civil liberties.'

"We realise we cannot stop the onward march of technology and it will have its uses.'

"But it also has a darker side and we need to make sure it is not used by criminals."