Google removes street view feature for Australia's Uluru

To protect the privacy of an Australian indigenous group, Google has decided to remove images of Australia's Uluru from its Street View option.

Uluru is a sacred Aboriginal site and Google had user-contributed images of the site. However, Parks Australia had requested the tech giant to take down these images to respect the wishes of the Anangu people who are the traditional owners of the World Heritage site.

The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has been closed for tourists since Ocotober 2019 after the Anangu requested a closure to protect the sanctity of the site. Earlier, tourists used to climb the site despite resistance from the community.

Google was quick to agree to the request to show respect towards the community and their wishes. "We understand Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is deeply sacred to the Anangu people," a Google spokesperson said.

"As soon as Parks Australia raised their concerns about this user contribution, we removed the imagery," they said.

The site was handed back to the rightful owners earlier as it holds great spiritual and religious sigfor thnificance e community. It has also been established that the site has belonged to the community since tens of thousands of years ago.

The decision has been appreciated by the indigenous group.