The Beginning, or the Beginning of the End

Not too long ago I sat in my office, and picked up a new file. As with any new site, the first order of business of the land use attorney is to pinpoint the property, and learn as much as possible about it. The first place I went was Google Earth, the wonderful service provided by the internet giant that allows anyone to spy down on any property you can imagine, as if you're peeking down on Cuba circa 1962 and looking for ICBMs. Within a few moments, I could discern what was on the target property, and what the neighbors had done with their places. I also knew that the neighbors would not be happy with what we intended to propose. Outside my door I heard two colleagues talking about Google Earth, amazed how easy it had all become. As if on cue, they went on to tout how it has made our lives as land use professionals that much easier.

To make things clear, no, I’m not a spokesperson for Google. In fact, I'm more than happy to report on the darker side of things at "the happiest place on Earth," if the Disney folks had not already trademarked the phrase. Recently, the down side of being able to look down on everything from your childhood home to Wrigley Field has bubbled to the surface. In particular, the Street View function of Google Maps has raised concerns from the subjects of these revealing images. One California woman complained to Google once she discovered that the picture of her home included a clear view of her cat Monty. Apparently a popular pic floating around the internet is one from the Stanford University campus revealing two young ladies sunbathing in their bikinis. Google's reply has been that they do have a mechanism whereby people may request that certain images be removed from the system. Few complaints have been submitted. Yet, the question becomes where should the line be drawn between the public and private sphere?

Sure, I don't exactly want pictures of me singing in the shower spreading across cyberspace. But aside from a few unavoidable, and unfortunate images that may creep into the fabric of Google's vast gallery, the overwhelming aid that it provides cannot be ignored. Yes, this means more images of Monty the cat and bikini-clad beauties. But breaking down the world lot by lot puts the world literally at your fingertips. As the technology improves (see Microsoft's Virtual Earth, for example), the quality of the imagery will only become more invaluable. At least we have a legitimate excuse as land use professionals as to why we're spending our working hours spying on our neighbors. Not so much for the surfers seeking out the Stanford co-eds, and the man in San Francisco offering lap dances and other such entertainment to passersby.