India would have gained by allowing Google Street View

REJECTING Google's proposal to have its Street View service cover India makes for bad optics for a government that put digital-era technology at the heart of one of its flag ship programmes. But, more important, it is an opportunity lost—in terms of the myriad small things the panoramic, 360o street-level imaging service would have facilitated. To be sure, people have voiced concerns over privacy violations and security in foreign jurisdictions where Street View is present, and the concern that it could flag strategically-important sites too is real, in the light of the Pathankot attack, where digit is ed maps of the base are alleged to have helped the attackers infiltrate. But, there are enough safeguards for such issues—as part of its privacy policy, Street View blurs out anything that can be used to identify a person captured in the images it generates, from faces to car licence numbers to nameplates on houses. As for security, privately delivered directives to Street View from the government to steer clear of the general vicinity of strategically-important locations would greatly reduce the possibility of the service aiding attackers.

On the other hand, the gains that would have accrued from having Street View would have been incremental, but significant nevertheless. It would have helped a property buyer/renter virtually explore a neighbourhood before buying or leasing. Tourists, too, would have been better served if they could check out if a hotel delivers the view it promises or is located in an area where the tariffs would be justified. It would have just made navigation easier in these times when we have come to rely greatly on digital mapping and GPS-enabled apps to get from Point A to Point B if we are not familiar with the route. In the long-run, India would have gained by adopting Street View and allowing it or competing technologies to erase out any shortcomings it has.