Your assumption that three meters is "reasonable" is just a personal opinion: Buses don't drive everywhere, and if your house happens to be on a bus route, you

Your assumption that three meters is "reasonable" is just a personal opinion: Buses don't drive everywhere, and if your house happens to be on a bus route, you know that and you can react appropriately. Also, their passengers are unlikely to make photos from some unspectacular houses somewhere, put them online, and link them with the relevant addresses. Google may have a German address but who's got the copyright of these photos? Do you know if it's the German company or is it the American one? In general, why should anyone be forced to sue? You would need to have a case, and it's not always possible to prove damage. For example, proof that your reputation was damaged when street view caught you making love with your wife in your own garden, surrounded by a two meter fence. Concerning the law: You and your face is also public when you happen to be in a public place. But there's also a law concerning your right to your own photo, ie. I can't simply take a photo of you walking down a public street and put it online without asking for permission. But when you're arguing that it's a moral sufficient justification that someone somewhere can make money off of it, shouldn't we drop that law? Then, everybody can add add motion detection to the cameras and put these cars in front of some 'interesting' houses! Say, the houses of Google employees, taking photos of them, their wifes and their children. Maybe, there's a business model for that, too. And why stop there? What about people in law enforcement, the military, public administration and politicians? After all, it's all public and as long as someone pays for it, you obviously think it's OK that it be done. I guess, you wouldn't want that. But if people have a right for their own photos, why not also their own houses? Your last argument can also be turned around: Laws against street view would not only protect everybody else, but you, your wife, your children, too. In general, just because you can do X, doesn't mean you have the right to do X.