MetaChat - Can One Strip Off Any Identifying Info From Google Street View?

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11 September 2009

Can One Strip Off Any Identifying Info From Google Street View? I thought it would be fun to show our abodes, as Google sees them, →[More:]but of course to remove any info that would aid stalkers, fans and debt collectors from knowing where to find them.

Has this been done before?

post by: danf at: 12:17 | 22 comments

Screenshot, editing out the stuff you don't want people to see?

posted by grouse 11 September | 12:29

In the URL, just delete or replace the address string like so.
Example:

My home:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=127+catpie+lane+monkeybottom,+ma&sll=42.375381,-71.241875&sspn=0.007625,0.015836&ie=UTF8&ll=42.376792,-71.241832&spn=0.007625,0.015836&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=42.375381,-71.241867&panoid=ryDCiFS5eHrLr5Frs2pHhw&cbp=12,22.23,,0,5

The address string is:
&geocode=&q=127+catpie+lane+monkeybottom,+ma

String removed:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&sll=42.375381,-71.241875&sspn=0.007625,0.015836&ie=UTF8&ll=42.376792,-71.241832&spn=0.007625,0.015836&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=42.375381,-71.241867&panoid=ryDCiFS5eHrLr5Frs2pHhw&cbp=12,22.23,,0,5

posted by Cat Pie Hurts 11 September | 12:35

I suppose actually -linkifying- it would have been nice:

my place

my place, no address

posted by Cat Pie Hurts 11 September | 12:36

street view didn't go down my street.

posted by desjardins 11 September | 12:58

Nor mine. It comes within a block of my house, but not close enough to see it.

posted by BoringPostcards 11 September | 13:02

Here is mine although there is still some info on it. Don't care much. It was more of a thought experiment.

I have never figured out screenshots, for some reason.

(You need one or two clicks to the left to see my place.)

posted by danf 11 September | 13:04

Streetview doesn't go down my street, either. It wouldn't matter, because we have a nine foot fence surrounding our digs, to keep out the invading Huns, as it were.

posted by msali 11 September | 13:41

Here's mine, it's actually the second time street view has been through. I can tell that this was from Spring '08 since there's a building permit in the living room window.

bonus points if you can find the "Ron Paul" sticker in my neighbor's window.

posted by octothorpe 11 September | 13:46

Not down my street either.

posted by essexjan 11 September | 14:07

They haven't made it down where I am either. Good. I'm one of those assholes who always has my blinds closed.

posted by sperose 11 September | 14:27

Trying to figure out when they took these. There's a for sale sign on the gate and we bought the unit which was most recently for sale. We bought it in the deepest pit of the very cold winter in 2008, so these must have been at the end of the summer 2007? or that freakish warm spell in the fall. Obviously, taken while the sun was still rising over the lake. I see I did not choose a screencap that showed pedestrians without hats, coats or gloves, which is how I know it wasn't winter.

Not quite as much fun as linking to the map so you can zoom around, but it's what I'm comfortable with.

posted by crush-onastick 11 September | 14:57

This is the driveway to my parents' house, where I grew up. I actually live in the maroon building to its left, a townhouse. The other side is rented out.

Around the corner is this tiny workman's cottage which is also part of the rental empire though it's been empty for years.

And if you go around the block to the other side, this beige four-plex is also a rental we own.

Anyway, fixing all these up and making them generate max income is my job right now. In a city with 15% unemployment. Thanks, Dad!

posted by dhartung 11 September | 15:10

Street view just shows a van. Thank you reckless driver for allowing my shadowy presence to continue!

posted by The Whelk 11 September | 15:12

Perhaps this aerial view suggests some little reason for the lack of a street view.

posted by Wolfdog 11 September | 15:15

This one is much more recent than the google street view. I'm in number 1 of 16, to the right of the one they're showing--collateral damage in the real estate market.

posted by Obscure Reference 11 September | 17:29

No street view for me either. BUT I remember seeing the van come through sometime earlier this year. I have no idea why it's not updated.

posted by deborah 11 September | 19:10

We've got street view that's come through, but based on the cars, it must have been a long long time ago...and in the summer; the lake is really low, and you can see all the ledges where the water *was*...I miss rain...it's been years since we've had good rain.

posted by Dejah 11 September | 22:02

Doh...link didn't work. Well, anyway, here's a flickr link to the garden, ducks, bunneh and wee birdies at the place where I doth dwell.

posted by Dejah 11 September | 22:12

My dad's old car is in the driveway on my parents' streetview.

posted by brujita 12 September | 02:06

Here is my place. This was obviously taken quite a while ago - although the house still isn't finished, it's much more advanced now. Also, the address showing on street view is incorrect.

posted by dg 13 September | 05:01

I live on the slight-above-ground floor here.

posted by chrismear 15 September | 05:52

My building!

posted by jonathanstrange 15 September | 06:08

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