Google backs down on Street View in Germany

Search giant Google has said it will increase the amount of time Germans have in order to opt out of the company’s Street View feature.

Google vice president for Northern and Central Europe Philipp Schindler said in a statement last week Germans will now have eight weeks in order to request their homes be deleted from the service.

“We were aware of the fact that Street View could lead to discussions in Germany,” Schindler said.

The decision was praised by justice minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, who said “it is good that Google has doubled the time for objections to restore lost trust.”

German privacy officials have been targetting Google over privacy concerns after it the Street View car debacle earlier this year.