Peeing Gardener Sues Google Over Street View Photograph

A Frenchman who was caught by Google Street View cameras while peeing in his own garden is suing the search behemoth for violating his privacy and making him the much deserved point of ridicule in his village.

The man discovered the photo after residents in his village began to ridicule him and his lawyer has not revealed the name of that village to protect the gardener’s privacy or at least what’s left of it.

The photo is slightly blurred but definitely shows the gardener in all his glory.

According to the man’s lawyer:

“My client lives in a tiny hamlet where everyone recognised him.”

The lawyer says the man was in his own private garden and that his gate was closed at the time of the photo.

The lawsuit has been filed in the city of Angers and the peeing gardener claims in the lawsuit that Google engaged in privacy infringement and of his right not to have his photo published without his accord.

Speaking of the lawsuit Google lawyer Christophe Bigot said it was an “implausible” win for the gardener.

In the meantime France’s courts have not been kind to Google Street View, in March 2011 France’s data privacy regulator handed down a 100,000 euros ($142,000) fine to the company for collecting private information and then compiling those photos for a public service.

Do you think Google should immediately remove the photograph or should the gardener not have been peeing in his front yard garden in the middle of the daytime hours?