This guide shows you how to hide your home on Google Street View. Though you can skip to the steps, I strongly suggest you read these crucial details first.
Things To Notes
To blur your home, you must submit a request to Google. If they approve it, your image will be obscured. A critical point: this cannot be undone. Once blurred, it’s permanent. Be cautious if you plan to sell your house soon, as this may concern buyers. Also, if you run a business from your address, blurring is a very bad idea.
If you live in a large apartment building, there’s little privacy risk. Please avoid blurring the entire building, as this affects all residents and offers no practical benefit for a single unit.
I advocate strongly for privacy, and Google collects too much data with Street View service. According to a 2010 article, Google admitted its Street View cars collected data from unencrypted Wi-Fi networks globally for several years. Despite collecting data on 60 million people, their $13 million fine was negligible for a company of its size. Simply put, as the Street View cars drove by, they collected data from any Wi-Fi network that wasn’t password-protected. There’s no reason for this; Google steals data without consent and sells it.
I didn’t want my house pictured, yet they did it. Initially, their technology failed to blur faces, including children’s. It took years for Google to refine its systems. Google Street View is a poor privacy tool. While some argue it aids navigation, Google Maps itself is highly accurate, rarely misplacing a location by more than a house or two. If you’re driving and looking for a home, just pull over if you’re close and look at the house number (just use common sense).
However, I’ll admit that Street View works best in places like plazas—where finding a specific shop in a crowded lot is difficult.
How To Hide Your Home
Now, let’s learn how to hide your home. I’ll start by showing you what your house looks like before the blur.
The ultimate goal is a permanently blurred image, which remains obscured even when you adjust the Street View angle or traverse in a different direction. This powerful functionality even extends to the back view of the property (if it can be seen from around the corner street), which is pretty amazing.
Here is how to submit your request:
- Locate Your Home: Open Google Maps, enter your address, and switch to Street View. Ensure your home is clearly visible in the frame.
- Report a Problem: Click the small, almost hidden “Report a problem” link located in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- Adjust the Red Box: A red box will appear on the screen. Adjust the view so that your entire home is contained within this red box.
- Select Blur Type: When prompted, select “A home” as the reason for blurring.
- Certify and Explain: Check the box to certify that you have the authority to make this request for the property. You’ll have an option to explain your reasons, which may help your case. Remember, the system will explicitly warn you again that this is a permanent change.
- Submit the Request: I recommend signing in with a Google account (like Gmail) when you submit. While not mandatory, it might simplify communication if Google needs to follow up.
After Submission
- Processing Time: The time it takes for Google to process the request varies widely. Some users report a few hours, while others wait over a week.
- Approval Status: You may receive an email confirmation once the change is successful—or if your request is rejected.
- Rejection: If your request is denied, you may need to resubmit it, perhaps providing better detail to explain why you want your home obscured.
That’s it! I hope this article was useful.
