What's Your Take?

Link to July 22 NEWS.com post, "Are Google Maps good or evil?"

Excerpt:

Pop quiz: do you feel more or less secure with the arrival of Google Maps and other online mapping services?

The first was from an outfit called Stop Child Predators, which launched a campaign to tell parents about the potential ills of Google Maps' Street View, which shows driver's-eye views of countless neighborhoods.

"This technology shows anyone in the world our communities, and exposes not only the routes from the bus stops to homes, but our children, without ever stepping foot in our neighborhoods," said Stacie Rumenap, the executive director of Stop Child Predators, in a statement.

On the other side was the announcement of CriminalSearches.com, a new service from PeopleFinders.com that said it shows where "sex offenders...thieves, violent offenders, murderers, or con artists" live in your neighborhood. The site shows people icons on a Google map; clicking an icon shows a person's photo, description, address, and criminal history.

According to the online poll accompanying the article, most of the respondents, 859 when I checked, are taking the Street View development in stride.

I just checked my home address. What a relief! They took the picture before the silver maples in the terrace were trimmed and Eddie seeded the bare spot next to the driveway. The evildoers will never recognize the place!

For a little street view fun, go here.

See also here: "Advocacy Group Claims Google Maps Is A Tool Of Child Predators".