Did you know you can blur your house on Apple Maps and Google Maps? This capability is open to everyone and isn’t limited to Apple employees.
Blur Your House on Apple Maps
A report surfaced recently of a woman who stalked and harassed Apple CEO Tim Cook and other employees. Apple filed a restraining order and a day later it was granted. Apple and Google have blurred out Mr. Cook’s house on each platform, but this is a privacy feature that anyone can make use of. This applies to on-street viewing such as Apple’s Look Around and Google’s Street View.
- Apple’s process requires you to email them with a request to censor a face, license plate, or a house that you own. You can email [email protected].
- With Google, you can use the Google Maps app or the website. Visit the address and click on one of the street view images associated with that location. There should be a “More Info” button you can select in the upper-left of the image, then choose the three-dots menu icon. Click Report a Problem and choose what you want to censor from the drop-down menu.
This is a nice privacy feature for people, especially since you don’t need to be a customer with either of these companies to submit a request. It won’t prevent people from trying to find your address, but it can help deter thieves, stalkers, and their ilk from examining your house on Street View to determine the best method of forceful entry.
