Google Maps relies on automated tools to blur faces and license plates by default, while offering manual request channels for government entities and individuals to mask specific locations on Street View.
Review how automated masking works alongside permanent privacy request policies.
Why do some locations blur?
Google is blurring areas following requests from government agencies, privacy organizations, and citizens.
Common locations for hiding include military installations and secure government sites. The homes of celebrities, wealthy individuals, and citizens seeking greater privacy are also often blurred. In countries such as the Netherlands and Germany, citizens have the legal right to request that their homes be hidden from maps.
The details of the maps and the unwanted effects
Maps provide detailed images that reveal a building's layout, value, and security. This information can be useful to police, investigators, and journalists, but also potentially to criminals.
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Because Google doesn't offer a way to remove the blur once it's applied, this option remains in effect forever. Some experts believe that a blurred home could eventually attract the attention of burglars, who might assume that something valuable is hidden inside.
How can you request that your house be fogged?
If you want to hide your home, you can open Google Maps, find the building in street view, and tap the three dots or report a problem. You can then adjust the image, choose what you want to blur, provide your email, and complete the verification steps, which may also require proof of ownership.
Note that the blurring in this service does not affect other maps. Similar requests can be made elsewhere: Apple can be contacted by emailing MapsImageCollection@apple.com with your details, while other similar services, such as Baidu Maps, Mapillary and Karta View, also provide the possibility of requesting it on a case-by-case basis. It is recalled that Microsoft has removed street photos from Bing Maps.
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