Apple Maps applies reality distortion field to hide Tim Cook's house
Both Apple Maps and Google Maps have entirely blurred out Apple CEO Tim Cook's home, presumably following recent reports of him being stalked.
Apple Maps view of Tim Cook's house
To protect the location where Tim Cook lives, Apple Maps has blurred out his entire property in Palo Alto. Consequently, it draws more attention to the house, making it an inadvertent example of the Barbara Streisand Effect.
The change to the Apple Map Look Around feature, and Street View on Google Maps, comes after Apple was granted a restraining order on behalf of Cook. The CEO's stalker reportedly broke into his home at some point, and is now prohibited from approaching any Apple employees.
As part of Apple's request for a restraining order, however, the court filings were required to include Cook's full postal address. So while Cook has made no secret that he lives in Palo Alto, the exact street name and number were less publicly known until now.
Overhead view on Apple Maps
At present, his house can still be seen from above on Google Earth and Google Maps. However, zooming in to Street View in either service, presents the area with the same blurring across the entire property.
Apple Maps has blurred it out from the overhead satellite view of the area, as well as the Look Around close-up street photography.
Read on AppleInsider
Apple Maps view of Tim Cook's house
To protect the location where Tim Cook lives, Apple Maps has blurred out his entire property in Palo Alto. Consequently, it draws more attention to the house, making it an inadvertent example of the Barbara Streisand Effect.
The change to the Apple Map Look Around feature, and Street View on Google Maps, comes after Apple was granted a restraining order on behalf of Cook. The CEO's stalker reportedly broke into his home at some point, and is now prohibited from approaching any Apple employees.
As part of Apple's request for a restraining order, however, the court filings were required to include Cook's full postal address. So while Cook has made no secret that he lives in Palo Alto, the exact street name and number were less publicly known until now.
Overhead view on Apple Maps
At present, his house can still be seen from above on Google Earth and Google Maps. However, zooming in to Street View in either service, presents the area with the same blurring across the entire property.
Apple Maps has blurred it out from the overhead satellite view of the area, as well as the Look Around close-up street photography.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
https://mashable.com/article/how-to-blur-your-house-on-google-street-view
As another poster said, there is a process to remove/blur homes from Google Street View available to others. And info on Cook's homes (this condo, his former main residence and his new-ish $10.5M mansion) was already out there. How else do you think these people served with protective orders were able to get to them?
I would think that Apple would be providing security for such an obvious target of nut cases, kidnappers and general terrorists -- including dictating aspects of his lifestyle such as where he lives. But the alligator filled moat might be going overboard just a bit.