Japan has forced Google to re-shoot all the images it has
taken for itsStreet Viewservice because of privacy
concerns.
Japanese privacy campaigners had sought to halt the
controversial service, but had to settle for a compromise.
Google is to re-record the images of 12 cities after it lowers
its roving cameras by 40cm because of complaints that they were
capturing images over fences.
The move comes just a day after
Greece halted Google's camera fleet until the internet firm
provides more privacy assurances.
Google Japan has defended its Street View service, saying it
tried to be responsible by blurring faces and registration plates
as it has done in Europe.
The Google Street View service has also faced challenges in the
UK from Privacy International, but
calls to shut it down were rejected.
Concerns in the UK were fuelled by media reports such as the one
about a woman who allegedly contacted divorce lawyers after
catching her cheating husband on Google Street View.
The Information Commissioner's Office, the UK privacy watchdog,
said the removal of the service would be disproportionate to the
risk to privacy.