Czech Republic bans Google's 'Street View'

PRAGUE: The Czech Republic's privacy watchdog says Google has not been granted permission to expand its mapping feature "Street View" because it invades peoples' privacy.

The Office for Personal Data Protection last week refused Google Inc. the necessary registration for ``Street View'' in the eastern European country but did not explain why. Google then considered it a temporary decision.

Office head Igor Nemec says Google uses means that ``disproportionately invade citizens' privacy.'' Nemec said Wednesday that Google also does not have a proper legal representative on Czech territory to handle personal data.

The US Internet giant has come under fire from authorities across Europe over privacy concerns, most recently for vacuuming up fragments of people's online activities sent over public Wi-Fi networks for years while taking shots of city streets.