How to Stop Google Maps From Displaying Your Home to Strangers - CNET

What the report says

CNET reports that Google Maps users can ask Google to blur their homes in Street View if they do not want detailed images of their property visible online. The article notes that Street View can show residential details such as doors, windows, cars, driveways and yard layouts, raising privacy concerns for some homeowners. According to CNET, the request is free, and if Google approves it, the blur is permanent.

The process described by CNET is done through Google Maps in a web browser rather than the iOS or Android app. A user searches for their address at maps.google.com, opens the Street View image of the property, and selects the small “Report a Problem” link. They then position the red-and-black selection box over the area they want obscured and choose whether the request concerns a home, face, vehicle or license plate, or another object.

CNET says Google requires an email address and may ask for more detail, especially where the image contains several people, vehicles or objects. After submission, Google sends an email confirming it will review the report and later indicate whether the request has been approved or denied. The publisher also cautions that Google does not provide a clear processing timeline.

The guidance matters because Street View is widely accessible and can expose property features to anyone online. CNET emphasizes that users should be careful before submitting a request, because Google warns that approved blurring in Street View cannot be undone.