Google has removed Street View images in Brazil that showed dead bodies on local streets. One image showed a partly-covered body lying on the side of Avenida Presidente Vargas in Rio de Janeiro, and the other showed a covered body near police cars in the city of Belo Horizonte. The images were first published by Gizmodo Brazil, and the news has spread rapidly online. Now, if you click the links (one and two) to see the locations on Street View, Google only shows a black screen, instead.

Google just launched Street View in Brazil yesterday.

We’ve asked Google for a statement about this and will update the post if/when we hear back.

Postscript: Here’s Google’s statement on removing the images from Street View in Brazil:

We take issues around inappropriate content in our products very seriously, and we removed the images quickly after being notified. For us, privacy and user choice remain paramount. This is why we have put in place tools so that if people see what they believe to be inappropriate, they can report them to us using the simple tools and the images will be promptly removed.

(We’ve edited this story to remove the images as a matter of taste. They can be seen by clicking the Gizmodo Brazil link above.)

Related Topics: Channel: Local | Google: Street View | Top News

About The Author: Matt McGee is Editor-In-Chief of Search Engine Land. His news career includes time spent in TV, radio, and print journalism. His web career continues to include a small number of SEO and social media consulting clients, as well as regular speaking engagements at marketing events around the U.S. He blogs at Small Business Search Marketing and can be found on Twitter at @MattMcGee and/or on Google Plus. You can read Matt's disclosures on his personal blog. See more articles by Matt McGee

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