Gizmodo: voyeurism

Unleash Your Inner Voyeur With a Super-Secret Spy Lens

Jack Loftus — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:30:00 EST

If hiding in the dirty bushes to stalk your ex is cramping your style (and ruining all your black outfits), then perhaps this Super-Secret Spy Lens extension is just what you need.

The extender, which is basically a $50 periscope that attaches to your SLR lenses by way of an adapter, allows you point that zoom lens at a "fake out" object, and then shoot pics of the real subject to your immediate right or left. The extender even swivels 360 degrees, in case your subject is a slippery one, and is able to dance about your periphery to your right and left with relative ease. Actually, if that's the case, the person may have gotten wise to you, and the police could be coming soon. In any event, the pics will look fantastic.

More seriously, amateur and professional photogs alike understand that people just look better in photos when they don't know they're being photographed. This adapter, while somewhat creepy (just hit the link and watch the woman snap a few pics in public), gets that job done. [Photojojo]

Japanese Company Hides CCTV Cameras in Cute Statues, Hopes No One Notices

Jack Loftus — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST

For some, the all-seeing CCTV camera is a bit off putting. Its uncaring eye records all, making even a simple trip to the ATM an adventure in privacy rights for our more conservative-minded citizens. In Japan, they understand this, and in typical Japanese fashion they've started hiding surveillance cameras in "friendly" Daruma wish dolls to lessen the blow.

And yes, it says "this is a surveillance camera" on the side, but it's still damn cute. Record my every move all you want, Daruma-san! [Japan Probe via Crunch Gear]

Google StreetView Spies Burning Home (Probably Microsoft Guy's House)

Jack Loftus — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT

Google StreetView has been a peculiar bird since its inception earlier this century. It's been banned for voyeurism, the trampling of privacy rights, and other infractions, but then again it's also been known to capture a few nose pickers or two—so it's a wash as far as I'm concerned. Today, we received word it has some hot new imagery on its hands, literally. As in, this burning house on Eagle Point Drive in sunny Sherwood, Arkansas. [Google StreetView via J-Walk Blog]

Camera Shy Minnesota Town Bans Google Maps Street View

Jack Loftus — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 19:00:00 EDT

The townsfolk of North Oaks, Minnesota, want to be able to pick their nose, flash cars, conduct drug deals and fall down on the sidewalk without the whole world knowing about it, so they've forbidden Google Maps Streetview cars from crossing city limits. At least those are the only reasons I can think of as to why this quiet community of 4,500 would want to go all Wuher at Chulum's Cantina and ban Google's voyeuristic fleet of droid-like camera cars.

North Oaks can get away with this because all the roads in town are privately owned, with "No Trespassing" signs greeting visitors when they enter (apparently no packages are ever delivered to North Oaks — J.L.). When city officials noticed their streets on Google Maps Streetview in January, they filed a complaint with Google, which immediately took the offending images offline. The image above is as close as you can get to town when using Google to navigate the North Oaks area.

This isn't the first time Google's street level map service has encountered blowback from miffed privacy advocates. When it launched in 2007, complaints were filed regarding people's faces and license plates. Just recently Google began blurring the faces of pedestrians who were caught in the Web 2.0 crossfire.

And last month, a Pittsburgh family sued Google when one of its cars drove up the length of their private driveway and took pictures of their house. Who wouldn't want that in their community? [CNET News]