About 22 months ago, Google was sued over its Street View program by a couple named Aaron and Christine Boring. The entire suit was dismissed a little while later. Now, the Borings have made a small bit of headway with an appeal, but it doesn’t appear that Google has much to worry about.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit is sticking by the dismissal of the Borings’ claims for invasion of privacy, unjust enrichment, injunctive relief, and punitive damages. The only claim that will be allowed to go forward is one regarding trespassing.
(Now-Deleted) Street View Shot Of The Borings’ House
The Borings, who originally sought $25,000 in damages, don’t seem likely to get much money due to this, either. A court document stated, "[T]hey ‘bear the burden of proving that the trespass was the legal cause, i.e., a substantial factor in bringing about actual harm or damage’ . . . if they want more than a dollar."
This looks to be a significant win for Google. Had things gone another way, the lawsuit could have encouraged all sorts of people to sue the company. Taken to an extreme, Street View might have met its end as a result.
Yet as things stand, no one can count on getting more than a single dollar, and that’s only if Google’s Street View drivers prove unable to turn back at "Private Road" signs.
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