FROM today anyone in the world can see your street as Google's Street View service for Huddersfield goes live.
From today, 360-degree pictures from Penzance to the Shetland islands will go online, encompassing nearly a quarter of a million miles of British roads - including our area.
Google’s Street View service has been available in 25 cities since last March, but the increased coverage makes an additional 210,000 miles of detailed mapping public.
Street View images are captured by Google’s car, fitted with a special panoramic camera on its roof. Pedestrianised areas were shot with Google’s tricycle, including Stonehenge and the banks of Loch Ness.
Despite featuring images visible only from public roads, Street View has attracted critics who believe the detailed street-level information could be exploited by criminals.
Google has taken steps to preserve anonymity. Its technology automatically blurs number plates and faces and users can ask for their homes or cars to be removed.
See Castle Hill below.
Google believes the service will be a boost for UK businesses, which can embed its maps into their own sites for free. For example, a bed and breakfast owner can promote the local area by offering potential customers a virtual stroll through its streets.
The launch means the UK will catch up with other European countries - such as Spain, France, and Italy - which already boast nationwide coverage.
Because Street View images look best in dry, overcast conditions, Google said its biggest challenge in the UK was the weather.
We want to her from you. Have you found anything funny or worrying on Street View? Do you think your house should be able to be located on the internet or is this a great tool for businesses and the public alike.
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