Google has been ordered to pay $12,500 in damages to an Argentine man after a Google Street View camera captured and published an image of him naked within his private backyard. The court’s decision sets a precedent for digital privacy and raises new questions about the responsibilities of tech companies in protecting individuals’ dignity.
The case centered on an incident from 2017 in the small Argentine town of Bragado, near Buenos Aires. A local police officer was walking unclothed in his yard, behind a 6.5-foot wall, believing himself to be in the private confines of his home.
A passing Google Street View car, however, captured images of the man from behind, along with his house number and street name, and these images were subsequently published on Google Maps. The photo soon went viral online and was even broadcast on national television, subjecting the man to ridicule at work and among his neighbors.
After being exposed online, the man filed a lawsuit against Google in 2019, claiming violation of privacy and dignity. A lower court initially dismissed his claim, arguing that he was at fault for being outside in such a condition. Google also contended that the wall was not high enough to ensure true privacy.
However, upon appeal in July 2025, the appellate court found in his favor, terming Google’s publishing of the image a “blatant” invasion of privacy. The judges specifically noted that the image was not captured in a public space, but within the boundaries of the individual’s home, behind a fence taller than average.
The court highlighted that Google’s own Street View policies, which automatically blur faces and license plates to protect privacy, demonstrate a clear understanding of the potential harm from such exposure. In this case, the court ruled, Google failed in its duties by publishing a photo that clearly showed the man’s “entire naked body,” not just his face, and did not take adequate steps to prevent this serious error.
The tech giant must pay approximately $12,500 (equivalent to about ₹10.8 lakh) in damages and faces renewed scrutiny over its privacy safeguards for services like Street View.
The case underscores that privacy violations even accidental can result in substantial compensation, potentially motivating others to take legal action if similarly affected.
Google states that individuals can submit reports to blur images of homes, vehicles, or themselves on Street View using the “Report a problem” tool on Google Maps. Nevertheless, the incident has sparked a broader debate over whether existing automatic safeguards are sufficient in preventing such privacy breaches in the first place.
