Switzerland bans Google Street View

The Swiss official data protection and transparency officer has demanded internet giant Google immediately remove the “Street View” capability from maps of Switzerland.

Street View allows users to see real photographs of streets on Google Maps, with users able to move the camera in different directions to view their surroundings.

But transparency officer Hanspeter Theur has said in a statement that he demands “Google immediately withdraw its online service Google Street View concerning Switzerland”.

He said he will be meeting with Google representatives next week in order to “improve” the service and bring it up to speed with Swedish law.

The service has come under attack from privacy activists for infringing on people’s rights. Some protestors have actively attempted to block the Street View process, with an entire village community in England blocking the Google Street View car from taking photos earlier this year.