162
Family sues Google after Maps allegedly directed father off collapsed bridge (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 3 years ago by to c/worldnews@lemmy.ml
99 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Tech company faces negligence lawsuit after Philip Paxson died from driving off a North Carolina bridge destroyed years ago

Discuss!

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 10 points 3 years ago (4 children)

You're expectations of Google would be like demanding that the map company who printed maps must provide a free, updated map every time that the roads change. Life doesn't work that way - sometimes people need to take responsibility for their own stupidity.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 3 years ago* (last edited 3 years ago)

    NAL, but I think part of it is that Google does update its map regularly (you see the latest edition whenever you access it online)

    Where Google arguably failed was, despite having a system to report discrepancies which people used for this collapsed bridge, Google failed to make the routing changes that could be reasonably expected by 5+ years. They could have used some combination of satellite images, user reports, the Google car etc.

    Even if you were to compare it to paper media: If you published a new edition twice a year, you had incorrect information, people reported it to you yet you still failed to correct it for 10+ editions and it causes harm to someone, then as a publisher you may be liable.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [+] -8 points 3 years ago (2 children)

    No it isn't? My expectation is that if someone guides someone poorly then of course they have some responsibility and part in their death. Honestly it's simple as that and it just seems like common sense.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 8 points 3 years ago (1 child)

    No it isn't?

    Yes it very literally is.

    A driver has ultimate responsibility for where they drive their car, that's not up for debate.

    Google is providing guidance, sure, but the driver, by virtue of being present, having eyes and a brain, and controlling the fucking vehicle is the one responsible for where the vehicle goes.

    You may have a (very good) point if this was a self driving car and Google was partially or wholly responsible for the actual motion of the vehicle.

    But that's not what happened.

    Google's guidance is nothing more than them saying, "Based on our data, this is the route we think you should take." Obviously the driver has better data on local conditions than Google.

    That being said, local authorities are to blame for improper signage and safety features. While Google isn't responsible for road conditions and safety, some government or another absolutely is, and they are absolutely a valid target for a lawsuit, as they should be.

    That you think Google shoulders blame in this is actually kind of a sad commentary on how some of society views personal responsibility.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] -1 points 3 years ago*

    Yes it very literally is.

    I just told you how you misunderstood what I expected and you still insist on understanding me. That's funny.

    Google is providing guidance, sure, but the driver, by virtue of being present, having eyes and a brain, and controlling the fucking vehicle is the one responsible for where the vehicle goes.

    There's not just one person responsible for this. Driver, municipality, Google are all responsible in different amounts.

    Google's guidance is nothing more than them saying, "Based on our data, this is the route we think you should take."

    Yeah and they're responsible for giving bad guidance, same as the municipality is responsible for not closing down the route and the driver for mistakes they made.

    That you think Google shoulders blame in this is actually kind of a sad commentary on how some of society views personal responsibility.

    You completely misunderstood me. I take part of the responsibility (lol) for it.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent