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| Google pulls some street images | Google pulls some street images |
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| Google has removed dozens of photos from its new UK Street View service. | Google has removed dozens of photos from its new UK Street View service. |
| The street-mapping facility launched amid a fanfare of publicity but now the firm has been forced to pull some of the images after complaints. | The street-mapping facility launched amid a fanfare of publicity but now the firm has been forced to pull some of the images after complaints. |
| It is thought the pictures removed contained revealing images of homes, a man entering a London sex shop, people being arrested and a man being sick. | It is thought the pictures removed contained revealing images of homes, a man entering a London sex shop, people being arrested and a man being sick. |
| A spokesperson for Google told the BBC that anyone could have their images removed if they asked. | A spokesperson for Google told the BBC that anyone could have their images removed if they asked. |
| "We've got millions of images, so the percentage removed was very small," Google's Laura Scott told the BBC.Google have replaced offending images with a black screen | "We've got millions of images, so the percentage removed was very small," Google's Laura Scott told the BBC.Google have replaced offending images with a black screen |
| "We want this to be a useful tool and it's people's right to have their image removed. | "We want this to be a useful tool and it's people's right to have their image removed. |
| "The fact there are now gaps [in Street View] shows how responsive we are," she added. | "The fact there are now gaps [in Street View] shows how responsive we are," she added. |
| Street View first launched in the United States in May 2007 and is already available in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain and Italy. | Street View first launched in the United States in May 2007 and is already available in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, France, Spain and Italy. |
| The Netherlands version of the service also launched on Thursday, bringing the total number of countries covered to nine. | The Netherlands version of the service also launched on Thursday, bringing the total number of countries covered to nine. |
| The imagery available comprises video taken along 22,369 miles of UK streets by customised camera cars. | The imagery available comprises video taken along 22,369 miles of UK streets by customised camera cars. |
| SEND US YOUR PICTURES Michaela Livingstone managed to find herself on Google Street View. Have you spotted anything unusual? Send pictures to yourpics@bbc.co.uk Manic street features | |
| Street scenes in 25 UK cities from Aberdeen to Southampton can be viewed using the service. | Street scenes in 25 UK cities from Aberdeen to Southampton can be viewed using the service. |
| Offending photos have been replaced by a black image with the message "This image is no longer available". However, many of the images can still be viewed by moving up or down a notch on the street. | Offending photos have been replaced by a black image with the message "This image is no longer available". However, many of the images can still be viewed by moving up or down a notch on the street. |
| Dr Ian Brown, a privacy expert at the Oxford Internet Institute, said he was not surprised that there were some offending images. | Dr Ian Brown, a privacy expert at the Oxford Internet Institute, said he was not surprised that there were some offending images. |
| "This is exactly what you would expect from a service that relies on individuals to help Google not make mistakes," he said. | "This is exactly what you would expect from a service that relies on individuals to help Google not make mistakes," he said. |
| "They [Google] should have thought more carefully about how they designed the service to avoid exactly this sort of thing."Many of the removed images can still be seen from a different angle | "They [Google] should have thought more carefully about how they designed the service to avoid exactly this sort of thing."Many of the removed images can still be seen from a different angle |
| Dr Brown said Google could have taken images twice, on different days, so offending images could have been easily replaced and protected privacy better. | Dr Brown said Google could have taken images twice, on different days, so offending images could have been easily replaced and protected privacy better. |
| Google says it has gone to great lengths to ensure privacy, suggesting that the service only shows imagery already visible from public thoroughfares. | Google says it has gone to great lengths to ensure privacy, suggesting that the service only shows imagery already visible from public thoroughfares. |
| It also uses face recognition technology to blur out faces and registration plates that appear in the images. | It also uses face recognition technology to blur out faces and registration plates that appear in the images. |
| The Information Commissioner's Office ruled in 2008 that the blurring was sufficient to ensure that privacy was maintained. | The Information Commissioner's Office ruled in 2008 that the blurring was sufficient to ensure that privacy was maintained. |
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| Newsnight reports on Google's Street View service for the UK |