A man from Argentina has been awarded compensation after Google’s Street View cameras captured him naked in his own backyard—an incident that exposed him to public ridicule and invaded his privacy.
The incident occurred in 2017 in Bragado, a small town around 200 kilometers from Buenos Aires, when a Google Street View vehicle passed by and snapped photos of the man standing nude in his yard. Although his face wasn’t visible, the images clearly showed his bare backside and displayed his house number and street name—making him easily identifiable in the community.
The man, a police officer, claimed the photo violated his dignity and subjected him to mockery at work and in his neighborhood. He initially took Google to court, but a lower court dismissed the case, stating he was at fault for being “inappropriately dressed” in his garden.
However, upon appeal, the National Chamber of Civil Appeals ruled in his favor. The judges found that the photo was taken from outside but clearly showed him within the private boundaries of his home, behind a wall over six feet tall. They declared the act a “blatant invasion of privacy,” emphasizing that no one should be shown “as God created them” without consent.
The court ordered Google to pay the man 16 million Argentine pesos, which is equivalent to about $12,500 or €12,000, for the emotional distress and violation of his privacy. The judgment also reinforced that Google is well aware of its duty to protect people’s identities—especially considering its standard practice of blurring faces and license plates on Street View.
In its defense, Google argued that the backyard wall wasn’t high enough to prevent visibility. But the appeals court disagreed, stating there was no valid reason for the exposure. The court also absolved local media outlets from responsibility, noting their coverage merely brought attention to Google’s error.
This isn’t the first time Google has faced privacy backlash over Street View. In previous years, the company paid settlements related to its unauthorized collection of personal information and images.
