Not in my backyard, or on my street
For every action there is a reaction, and never is that more true than with advances in technology.
For instance, wind turbines allow the ultimate renewable energy source — wind — to be captured and turned into electricity. The concept is great until it turns up in someone’s backyard or spoils their view from the living room window.
Suddenly, wind power isn’t so great.
Same goes for transmission lines that bring the electricity into heavily populated areas to power our lives. The not-in-my-backyard naysayers come out in full voice. It spoils their view. It hurts their property values. It’s dangerous. High-sulfur coal is a wonderful alternative.
Yada, yada, yada.
All of which leads me to the latest cry from the naysayers. This one is from a group called stopinternetpredators.org. Seems like a worthy cause.
However, from an e-mail that landed in my mailbox today, it appears that the main focus of stopinternetpredators.org is to stop Google from offering its Street View. That’s the Google mapping feature that offers a detailed, 360-degree look at property along thousands of streets and roads nationwide.
In a video linked from the e-mail, a spokeswoman speaks passionately about the dangers that lurk behind Street View because it allows online predators ways to scope out areas such as playgrounds, yards and bus stops where children congregate.
It’s sort of a chicken little syndrome long before any signs appear that the sky is falling. As far as I can tell, Street View has not been linked to any kidnappings or sexual assaults.
But the danger is there, aided by Google’s Street View, stopinternetpredators.org alleges. There is also a danger that falling space junk might crash on my house, too.
Jim Stafford
Business Reporter
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