Man awarded $12,500 after Google Street View camera captured him naked in his yard in Argentina

An Argentine man who was captured naked in his yard by a Google Street View camera has won compensation from a court after his embarrassing moment was broadcasted all over the internet. The incident occurred in a small town in Argentina in 2017 when the man, a policeman, was caught on camera from behind, in the nude, while he believed he was behind a 6 1/2-foot wall on his property.

The man filed a lawsuit against Google, claiming that the invasion of his privacy had exposed him to ridicule at work and among his neighbors. Initially, a court dismissed his claim, stating that he was at fault for being inappropriately dressed in his own backyard. However, appeals judges later ruled in his favor, awarding him a sum of money equivalent to about $12,500 in Argentine pesos, to be paid by Google.

The judges emphasized that the man’s dignity had been blatantly violated, as the image was captured within the confines of his home, behind a tall fence. They criticized Google for not taking adequate measures to protect the man’s privacy, despite their policy of blurring faces and license plates in Street View images. The court also absolved a telecoms company and a news site of liability, stating that they had only helped bring attention to Google’s error.

Google has faced similar privacy issues in the past, such as a $13 million settlement in 2019 over the collection of private information through Street View. In another incident in 2010, Google admitted to trespassing when capturing images for Street View but only paid $1 in damages to a couple who sued.

The company has since implemented technology to blur identifiable faces and license plates in Street View images and allows users to request the blurring of their entire house, car, or body. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting individuals’ privacy, even in public spaces, and the consequences of failing to do so.