Romania, more visible on Google Street View

Google announces new Street View images available that allow users to view and navigate through panoramic street-level images in many more places from Romania than before.

Romanian and foreign tourists who want to visit Romania can now walk through images in Alba-Iulia, Craiova, Focsani, or Baia Mare, they can explore the medieval streets of Sighisoara or can take a virtual tour of some of the most popular tourist spots, such like Peles Castle or Corvin Castle in Hunedoara.

The expansion began in July last year when the Google car and bike started on the road to put on the map some of the most popular tourist attractions in the country.
Thus, the Street View coverage in Romania was extended with hundreds of locations, being added more than 40,000 miles on the original cover.

"Starting today, many of the special places in our country can be visited directly from Google Maps. Through Street View and its panoramic pictures, anyone can take a virtual walk through the Village Museum or discover Peles Castle", says Dan Bulucea, general director at Google Romania.

Street View is a very known application of Google Maps, already available in 50 countries, which proved to be popular also in Romania, according to the company.

The application allows users to virtually explore and navigate in an area with panoramic street-level images.

Until now, Street View coverage was lower in Romania than in Bulgaria. Now, according to the graphic on Google Maps, Street View coverage in both countries appears to be similar.

Incidents relating to the protection of personal data

The U.S. Company has often been targeted by authorities in countries where Google has made its data service, Street View.

The authority for personal data protection in Hamburg recently condemned the American Company Google to a fine of 145,000 Euros for illegally recorded personal data.

"Between 2008 and 2010, Google has not only photographed streets and buildings for its service Google Street View, but had access to Wi-Fi networks in range of machinery used" for the service, explains the German authority in a statement.

Thus, Google has made negligently content unprotected Wi-Fi connections as emails, passwords, photos and instant messages, continues the same source.
In 2010, the European Union asked Google to warn the residents that they take photos immediately next to the streets where they live, either in local newspapers, or in national newspapers.

The decision was taken following numerous complaints accusing the service provided by Google that it violates privacy, fueling controversies arose since it was launched the Street View.

Also, three years ago, the Australian Government asked the police to conduct an investigation regarding a possible violation of laws by Google on telecommunications.

According to Reuters, the Australian government accused the company of "probably the unique huge gap in the history of privacy", after Google gather information about users of wireless networks.


Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea
MTTLC, Bucharest University