Argentina Orders Google to Pay Damages Over Privacy Breach

An Argentine appeals court has ruled that Google must pay approximately $12,500 in damages to a police officer after his naked backside was captured and broadcast via Street View in 2017. The three-judge panel stated that the footage taken in Bragado, Buenos Aires—a snapshot from behind a 6½-foot wall—constituted a “blatant invasion of privacy,” leading to embarrassment for the officer in his personal and work life. This ruling overturned a previous lower court decision that had accused the officer of being in “inappropriate conditions.”

“This includes the image of someone captured within the sphere of a house rather than a public space. The invasion of privacy is blatant,” the judge explained.

The judge noted that the officer’s house number and street name were clearly visible in the images, which quickly circulated on Argentine television and social media soon after they appeared on Google Maps, according to court documents.

Initially, the lawsuit was dismissed, suggesting the police officer brought the embarrassment upon himself by being naked outdoors. However, the appellate panel rejected that argument, emphasizing that private property should not be considered public space.

Google defended its actions by arguing that the wall’s height did not guarantee complete privacy. Yet, the court referred to Google’s own policy that enables them to blur faces and license plates, asserting that users can request complete blurring of bodies or homes.

“There is no justification for Google to avoid liability for this serious mistake… it undermines his dignity,” the ruling emphasized. “No one wants to be exposed to the world as the day he was born.”

Additionally, CableVision SA and the news site El Censor, which rebroadcast the image, were found not liable as their actions served to highlight Google’s errors, according to the judges.

The compensation, to be paid in Argentine Pesos at the exchange rate on the day of payment, follows other privacy mishaps involving Google’s mapping services. In 2019, Google had to pay $13 million to settle a lawsuit in the US for improperly collecting private data through Street View.