Google earth, the programme providing you with the opportunity to take a look down the streets of Bangkok or virtually cruise down America, is now also used to fight crime. More and more messages in newspapers claim that a crime has been solved with the use of these digital snapshots. Today www.nu.nl reported that a sheriff has been capable of arresting a man with the use of Google Earth. In Pensacola (Florida) the sheriff came across a big boat of 5,5 meters dumped next to the road. Since this is a crime in America, the sheriff decided to search on Google earth to see to whom the boat belonged. The digital photographs he came across clearly showed the same white boat in the backyard of a man. This man is now waiting for a fine of 5000 dollar to fall on his door mat and there is even a chance that he will have to live in prison for a maximum of 5 years…
Google earth, a good way to fight crime, but I don’t think the man in question will be that happy with this piece of technology. But how happy will we be with it within a few years? When photographs are taken more frequently there is a chance that more crimes will be solved, but will this equal our loss of privacy? Is it necessary that everybody can see who was where and with whom?
Personally, I do not think I would be that happy with my parents being capable of watching my every move..
