German court says Google's aerial views of a private home break privacy law
A Frankfurt court called the overhead imagery on Google Earth and Maps "spying", The Next Web reported. Google says it will appeal.
A German court has told Google it cannot keep showing people's homes from above without their permission, according to The Next Web. The Frankfurt Regional Court ruled on Tuesday that the aerial and satellite views on Google Earth and Google Maps break Germany's privacy laws, and it called the practice "spying", the outlet reported.
A man in Frankfurt brought the case. The Next Web, citing Deutsche Welle, reported that German courts and media have withheld his name under the country's privacy rules. He had already forced Google Street View and Apple Look Around to blur photographs of his family's home. This time he challenged the overhead imagery.
The court said nobody should have to accept Google publishing aerial images of their property worldwide without consent, at least where those areas are hidden from public view. It also ruled that Google must warn property owners before it photographs an area, The Next Web reported.
“"The plaintiff's personal space extends across the whole of the home's parcel. The only data to be gleaned here are personal, giving clues to private lifestyle, such as the size and design of the property. Beyond this, potential weak points in the property's security perimeter are also laid bare,"”Frankfurt Regional Court
The judges gave two reasons: the invasion of privacy and safety. They said the overhead views could help burglars find weak spots.
The ruling matters because it goes after a widely used service. Google told Courthouse News, as cited by The Next Web, that it "strongly" disagreed and would appeal. It argued that Google Earth and Maps are a public service, not surveillance.
"The views provided in Google Earth and Google Maps are used for a wide range of purposes, such as urban planning, environmental research and disaster relief, making them a highly valuable service for millions of people," a Google spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the pictures are a mosaic of satellite and aerial shots from several providers, and that similar views appear in other public services. The court rejected Google's claim that it was democratising knowledge, and said freedom of information gives no right to invade private spaces.
The Next Web placed the decision alongside Germany's pushback on Street View more than a decade ago, when homes were blurred and some camera cars were attacked. It also linked it to other court actions against big tech, including a recent Frankfurt ruling against Meta over scam ads and a Texas lawsuit against Netflix over alleged spying and addictive design.
A lot is still unclear. According to The Next Web, Google's aerial imagery stays online while the company appeals, and an appeals court may yet overturn the ruling. The report does not say when the appeal will be heard, how many properties could be affected, or how Google would warn owners before photographing an area.
