TORONTO — Admitting to searching one's own name in the Internet's vast expanses once raised a few eyebrows and sparked cries of narcissism, then search engine Google left its competitors in the digital dust, became a verb unto itself and the activity is now downright commonplace.

Googling oneself is yet evolving again, reaping thrills for enthusiasts - though triggering concern in others - as the giant prepares to unveil a new feature here that just might thrust Canadians under an even brighter searchlight.

The company announced in late March it's soon launching Canada's version of Google Street View. In the coming weeks, web users will gain a compendium of millions of eye-level snapshots arranged to provide a 360-degree panorama of the country's major metropolitan areas - easily searched through Google Maps and Google Earth.

What many don't know is their unwitting image may already be included. Googling oneself now may mean decoding whether that pixilated face is you or a friend.

Street View was created to give its users the ability to virtually roam the streets of urban centres, downtown cores, tourist attractions, commercial centres and neighbourhoods.

But as the company now touts myriad potential benefits to users, Canadian privacy experts are scrutinizing the captivating map's first roll-out here.

The government also says it's engaged in "high level" talks with Google as the company equips a road crew to begin a second photography tour of 11 Canadian cities, also set to begin in the coming weeks.

Drivers will cruise through Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec, Saint John and Halifax.

"Just because people are in public places and their photograph is captured, I don't think that means to Canadians that the privacy laws don't apply," said Elizabeth Denham, assistant privacy commissioner of Canada.

News Source: Canadians' faces to be blurred in Google's new Street View panoramas