Don’t bother running. You can’t hide from Google’s cameras.

The Boston Globe is jazzed about Google Maps’ new “street view” feature (see clip at the end of this post).

But I’m thinking of the chilling effect–knowing that your picture, taken on the street and posted to Google Maps, will link your identity with the locations you happen to be passing through.

I think of all the strip joints and porno shops that people pass as they walk and cycle around San Francisco, New York and Boston. (Boston street views are not yet available.)

Google’s street views sends a clear message: If value your reputation, you will now have to watch where you are seen.

It is also conceivable that Google’s unwitting subjects (considering that Google is using their images for profit), will flood the internet giant with lawsuits. Parents of children caught up in the dragnet, clergy and officials snapped in their cities’ red light districts, where they might be working legitimately–all might find cause to bring action against Google.

Meanwhile, be on the lookout for this van (immediately below), which is reportedly carrying the cameramen for Google…

And here’s a quick shot of my old First Avenue digs in Manhattan, courtesy of the new Google feature:

clipped from www.boston.com Google Maps’s new “Street View” feature, announced earlier this week, is pretty amazing. The feature, which uses vehicle-cameras to take 360-degree street level views, allows users to virtually navigate the only five American cities that matter: New York, Las Vegas, Denver, Miami, and San Francisco.