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Naked man on Google Street View wins compensation after becoming 'laughing stock'

A man who was left red-faced after being pictured naked in his garden by a Google Street View car has been awarded thousands of pounds in compensation after winning a legal battle

[A Google Street View car]

A bloke who was pictured with his bum out via a Google Street View car has won a claim (stock)(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)

A bloke who was snapped in the buff by a Google Street View car while in his garden has been granted a hefty compensation sum after becoming a 'laughing stock'.

The incident occurred when a vehicle was capturing images of a small town in Buenos Aires province, Argentina. The man's bare bottom was caught on camera as he stood on his patio, and the pictures were subsequently uploaded online for all to see.

A judge has now awarded the embarrassed man 9,000 in compensation, ruling that Google had infringed upon his privacy. The man, a police officer, insisted he was behind a two-metre wall when the 2017 incident took place.

The case caused quite a stir, going viral on social media and making local TV news, reports the Mirror.

Seeking recompense for his humiliation, the man pursued legal action, stating that his role as a policeman made the situation even more mortifying as he became the 'butt of jokes'.

However, his initial claim was dismissed last year, with the judgement stating it was his own fault for "walking around in inappropriate conditions in the garden of his home". One judge even remarked that "the only person able to identify who the naked person was, was the actual man."

[The camera on a Google Street View car]

The camera managed to snap the man in an intimate moment (stock)(Image: BELGA MAG/AFP via Getty Images)

Google argued that the wall surrounding his property wasn't tall enough, and the judge concluded that the "policeman shot himself in the foot" with his actions, according to La Nacion.

But the tables have turned on appeal, with judges overturning the previous decision and ordering a compensation pay-out of approximately 9,300.

"This involves an image of a person that was not captured in a public space but within the confines of their home, behind a fence taller than the average-sized person. The invasion of privacy... is blatant," they penned.

The judges declared "there is no doubt that in this case there was an arbitrary intrusion into another's life". They also concluded that there was "no justification for (Google) to evade responsibility for this serious error that involved an intrusion into the plaintiff's house, within his private domain, undermining his dignity. No one wants to appear exposed to the world as the day they were born."

Street View amalgamates billions of panoramic images to provide a virtual representation of our surroundings on Google Maps. Street View's content originates from two sources - Google and contributors.

On its website, Google states: "Through our collective efforts, we enable people everywhere to virtually explore the world.

"360 imagery assists you in knowing where to go and what to expect when travelling. Explore world-famous landmarks, galleries, and museums right from your device, or turn back time with Street View historical imagery to see how a location has evolved over time."

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