Google Maps Street View allows you to reach nearly every address. The app can give you a clear view of a restaurant, shopping mall, park, and even someone’s house, provided you know the address. You can virtually reach out to any location via Google Map’s Street View. The feature helps you locate the landmark or building nearby your destination. You will also get an idea of where you should park your car. However, despite these benefits, Google Maps Street View is not always bliss for peaceful Samaritans as criminals and stalkers can use the same app to target your home.
Street View is almost like a free ticket to examine the exact location of your house or any other place like a restaurant, bank, concert hall, or the likes on the internet. Bad people may try to locate any CCTV camera and plan accordingly so that they can avoid getting caught. Or they may even look for a side window to pry open. True that anyone can walk or drive around your home to get a clear view in person. However, Google Maps has simplified the procedure. Anyone with a computer or smartphone can get virtual access to your address.
The best way to avoid falling prey to such virtual monitoring is to blur your home on Google Maps. It will prevent criminals from getting too much information about where you live. Let’s show how you can do it.
Blur Your Home on Google Maps
The ‘Blur’ option is not available in the Google Maps application on Android or iOS or if accessible, difficult to use. Therefore, you need to use a computer to apply the effect.
Follow the steps to apply the ‘BLUR’ effect.
- Open maps google.com. Type in the address of your home in the search bar located at the top right.
- Hit enter.
- Click the image of your home, right above your home address, on the top-left side of the page.
- You can now see the Street View of your house. You will find Report a Problem at the bottom right. The text, though super tiny, is clearly visible. Click the option.
- Adjust the image. Choose from the following to request what you want to blur:
- Your home
- A face
- Your car license/plate
- A different object
- You may be asked to give a little more detail regarding what you want to blur if the image shows several people, cars, and other objects.
- Once you specify, Google blurs it on Street View permanently.
- Also, it is important to be sure what you select is exactly what you want to blur. Google mentions that once you blur something on Street View, it’s blurred permanently.
- Finally, you will be required to enter your mail, verify the Captcha (if required), and click Submit.
Google will send you an email to inform you it will review your report and after the request is accepted/denied, it will get back to you. They may send you more emails asking for more information as to your request. Google does not tell you how much time it will take to process your request; so, keep checking your emails till you don’t receive any confirmation from them.
The best way to avoid falling prey to virtual monitoring is to blur your home on Google Maps. It will prevent criminals from getting too much information about where you live.
