Leading article: Goggle-eyed

It used to be Big Brother who was always watching. Now it's Big Google. Fresh from the row about Streetview, the internet search giant has developed a new application, called Goggles, which allows people to take a snap of something with a camera phone and then search the Google image database to find a match.

Useful indeed for identifying that unfamiliar species of bird, some unrecognised landmark or an unnamed painting. The trouble is that it could, potentially, be used to identify strangers too by snapping their faces. Sensibly, Google has blocked people using Goggles to identify faces until, as a spokesperson puts it, "we really understand how this tool affects people's privacy".

Nevertheless, bonus-guzzling bankers and expenses-milking MPs would probably be well advised to remain wary if a member of the public starts staring suspiciously and fumbling for their camera phone.