Blurred-out House on Street View

[Glassman]

Was looking to see if there was parking on this street and spotted this...



Why would it be blurred out?

[spitfire-ian]

I think it is possible for you to ask for your house to be blurred out. When Streetview first came out some people were of the opinion that burglars would use it to find houses to break into.

[Mont Blanc]

Usually because the homeowner or resident has contacted Google and asked for the property to be blurred. Could be for absolutely any reason including as simple as "I just don't want my house on Google maps". Once a house is blurred, Google state that this is permanent.

Plot twist: Home owners sometimes find their home blurred out when they haven't asked for it, and there is no process to reverse this.

Plot twist No 2: Anyone can request that a home is blurred out. Google don't ask for proof of any kind that you are associated with the property before they blur it. It can be blurred based on a simple request to Google. No verification.

Edited by Mont Blanc on Friday 12th January 10:56

[Zetec-S]

It's obviously a CIA safehouse

[Spare tyre]

It’s the one on the street with the best loot

Rob that one

[Fast and Spurious]

spitfire-ian said:

I think it is possible for you to ask for your house to be blurred out. When Streetview first came out some people were of the opinion that burglars would use it to find houses to break into.

So now the burglars can't see it or find it? Genius!

[Jaska]

My neighbours house is blurred out but it's because they were all in the front window staring awkwardly at the camera van as it went by and didn't like the photo

[sherbertdip]

Jaska said:

My neighbours house is blurred out but it's because they were all in the front window staring awkwardly at the camera van as it went by and didn't like the photo

My BIL was caught staring out the same but they didn't blur the house or him.

[essayer]

Spare tyre said:

It’s the one on the street with the best loot

Rob that one

I’ll get my neighbour’s house blurred so they’ll rob that one

[kevsmev]

Wasn't there a post on here a few years back with a link to street view where a chap was seen through his window laid on his bed knocking one out? I think the amount of extra attention this house got from the link ended up with Google blurring it out.

[MitchT]

There's a street near me where the street view no longer goes right to the end of the road. It used to but now stops a couple of hundred metres short.

[untakenname]

I remember that one, they blurred it within 24 hours after it went viral over Whatsapp.

Even if it's blurred on Google Maps the close up view on Google Earth Pro will show most the detail from the streetview, failing that it's likely that Bing and Apple Maps may have the house unblurred.

I always assumed people blurring their houses may have something to hide so it's counterproductive imo as people will assume the worst.

[crofty1984]

Barbara Streisand lives there.

[Kerniki]

Are you sure its blocked out and not just wrapped in clingfilm? Winterised…

[MightyBadger]

Glassman said:

Was looking to see if there was parking on this street and spotted this...



Why would it be blurred out?

Is it near a station?

[Actual]

Mont Blanc said:

Plot twist No 2: Anyone can request that a home is blurred out. Google don't ask for proof of any kind that you are associated with the property before they blur it. It can be blurred based on a simple request to Google. No verification.

Interesting.

I purchased and sold a house where the neighbour was blurred on Google Street View and it did make me think a bit about the purchase. The neighbour was ok but a bit reclusive. When we sold it would have been useful to blur another neighbour who had junk in their garden and may have put off viewings.

Could blurred houses on Google Street view affect selling houses and house prices and could you have any redress in such situations? Starting a neighbour dispute would be somewhat counter productive for selling.

Would anyone be anxious about the house they are purchasing being blurred or the house next door being blurred?

[Gary C]

Just be aware that if you want to have your house blurred out on street view, google have to come round to your house and smudge it all with paint before taking the new photo.

Takes ages to clean it all off afterwards.

[king arthur]

Does this mean you could get all the houses in an entire street blurred out? Or a whole town?

[Radec]

Kerniki said:

Are you sure its blocked out and not just wrapped in clingfilm? Winterised…

I thought it was covered in Vaseline.

[FlyingPanda]

crofty1984 said:

Barbara Streisand lives there.

Very good - that didn’t get the respect it deserves!