Thanks to map platforms such as Google Maps, every user has the opportunity to view the earth from above on high-resolution satellite images or to go on a virtual tour of discovery with Street View. If you want to protect yourself from this, you can pixelate your house on Google Maps and other map platforms. That’s exactly what Apple CEO Tim Cook has done.
Satellite images and street view recordings are probably mainly used by people to take a closer look at individual places, plan trips or study navigation. Only a hopefully very small part uses the image material with criminal energy, which applies to stalkers, among other things. Apple CEO Tim Cook is also affected by this problem and, after his address became public, has now had his house pixelated on Google Maps and Apple Maps.
His house is now pixelated on Google Maps Street View, but can still be seen in the satellite view. With Apple Maps, on the other hand, the house can no longer be seen in the satellite images. Google Maps does not normally offer this option for private individuals and it is probably similar to Apple Maps. But as Apple’s boss, he may have been able to send good arguments to his Maps team. But as the picture below shows, this is rather counterproductive in this case. Because now the house stands out even more.
Tim Cook’s address became known through lawsuits against Apple in which his home address was visible in documents. Since then there is said to be a stalking problem. However, I have no idea how the pixelation of the house is supposed to help (similar to the situation in Germany). Pictures of the house are easy to find on the web, and street view and satellite images are far from up-to-date. People are certainly not recognizable.
It’s no surprise that the pixelation that’s hitting the media these days really makes his address known to the general public. Reminds a little of Mark Zuckerberg, who builds meter-high walls around his property and buys up neighboring properties to protect his privacy. Of course understandable, but not without a certain irony. At least the now known home of Tim Cook is a little different because he lives in the middle of a busy city.
Presumably, Cook will not be found at this address very often. Without knowing his personality, it is difficult for me to imagine that one of the richest people in the world resides in such a “small” house (by his standards) in the middle of a residential area. It is known that he recently bought a mansion for 10 million dollars – but it is certainly not this house. Nevertheless, he probably felt it necessary to pixelate this address.