People are blurring their homes on Google Maps to maintain privacy, and potentially thwart burglaries. A police officer in California noted home owners are using the blur tactic to minimize any details nefarious characters might find while perusing homes on Google Maps.
While Google Maps is facing stiffer competition these days from the likes of Apple Maps and others, it is still the go to map app for many. Whether it be to map out a trip, find the closest EV station, or get directions to the nearest Best Buy, Google Maps is there with a street level view of the location. What many may not think of using Google Maps for, however, is to scope out potential homes to burglarize. But that is exactly what some wanna-be criminal master minds are doing, and for this reason, home owners are blurring their homes on the app.
“The crooks are looking for new and innovative ways to victimize people,” Ryan Railsback, a police officer with the Riverside Police Department in California, explained. “It’s good for the public to be aware of that and counter what the criminals are already doing.”
A couple of reasons a person may choose to blur their home include hiding valuable items that may appear in the image, such as a pricey automobile, or hiding identifying objects like an automobile’s license plate. Another reason might be to keep would-be thieves from knowing there are no apparent outdoor cameras or other types of security in place.
When asked for a comment on people blurring their homes on Google Maps, a Google spokesperson remarked, “Street View helps people virtually explore the world, and we make it easy for anyone to blur their home if they prefer — just click on the ‘Report a problem button’ and submit a request. To further protect the privacy of our users, we use state of the art technology designed to automatically blur identifiable faces and license plates.”
If anyone wants to blur their home on Google Maps, navigate to Street View mode at the desired home address using the website (option to blur is not available on mobile app). A drop-down menu will appear in the top-left corner of the screen. From there, navigate to the option “Report a Problem.” After choosing the option, a questionnaire will appear with prompts to what the user wants to blur, and the reason why. Google allows the homeowner to blur a face, home, or other identifying information, such as a car’s license plate that appears in the image.
Anyone who would like more information on how to blur a home on Google Maps can visit the Google Maps Help section explaining the option on the company’s website.