How to hide your home from Google Maps in 2021
Since its founding in 1998, Google has come to dominate the tech industry. Over the past twenty years, it has extended its reach far from its humble beginning as a search engine, ranging from a YouTube, a video sharing service, all the way to Google Fiber, a broadband internet service. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Google has also dabbled in Global Positioning System technology - more commonly referred to as “GPS.”
Whether it be from a web browser on your desktop, or an app on your smartphone, anyone can view your home from wherever they are. Without even knowing your direct address, someone could potentially stumble across things as broad as your city, to specifics such as your neighborhood. If you feel uncomfortable knowing this, you are not alone and, thankfully, there is a way that you can make yourself more private.
Blurring Your Home on Google Maps
If you do not want your house to be visible on Google Maps, fear no longer. By following these simple steps, you can make sure that your house gets blurred out on their applications:
- Go to Google Maps and enter your home address
- Enter “Street View” mode by dragging the tiny yellow, person icon at the bottom-right corner of your screen onto the map and in front of your house
- Shift your camera to face your house, then click “Report a Problem,” located at the bottom-right corner of the screen
- Position the red square onto your house, then select “My home” underneath the “Request blurring” list.
- Enter your email address and fill out the CAPTCHA
- Press “Submit”!