Why are some locations blurred out on Google Maps?

Google lets people request that homes or other locations be blurred in Street View to reduce the amount of personal and security-related information visible online. The option matters because detailed street-level imagery can reveal aspects of a property, but Google makes the change permanent.

Requests may come from customers, governments or privacy campaigners, and some countries, including the Netherlands and Germany, give residents a legal right to request home blurring. Google automatically blurs faces and number plates, and offers a separate request process when its tools miss something. A blurred property may be harder for neighbours or future buyers to view, and the article notes that some argue it could attract attention; the change also applies only to Google, while other mapping services have separate policies.