Google fined Argentine after naked yard photo scandal

Google Street View Privacy Case in Argentina

Unintended Exposure and Legal Consequences

Case Summary

• April 2017: A Google Street View camera captured an Argentine gardener in full‑back body behind a wall taller than average height.
• The footage displayed not only the man’s nude body but also his house number and street name, broadcast on local television and shared across social media.
• He claimed the image exposed him to ridicule at work and among neighbors, arguing it violated his dignity.

Initial Court Ruling

First Decision

• The first Argentine judge dismissed the claim, stating the man “bore responsibility for walking in inappropriate conditions within his garden.”
• Google argued the fence was not high enough, citing policy to blur faces and plates.

Appeal Judges’ Verdict

Reversed Outcome

• The appellate judges ruled “the invasion of privacy was blatant,” stating there was “no justification for Google to evade responsibility.”
• They awarded the plaintiff an amount equivalent to about $12,500 in Argentine pesos, payable by Google.
• Judges emphasized that “no one wants to appear exposed to the world at the day they were born.”

Other Parties Involved

Co‑Accused Liability

• Telecom company Cablevision SA and news site El Censor were absolved of liability for spreading the image, as the court said they “helped highlight Google’s misstep.”

Google’s policy to blur faces and plates was cited as evidence of awareness of duty, yet the court noted that the entire naked body should also have been prevented.