There are some who object to what they see as the invasion of privacy that Google and other internet companies represent; there are others who get their own back.

Like Dan Thompson and Gary Kerr, for instance. They are mechanics in Edinburgh who, when they saw the car that captures images for Google Street View heading up their street, decided to stage a practical joke.

The result was what Mr Thompson called a horrifying tableau: a picture of what looked like a killer standing over his victim brandishing a pick axe handle but, in fact, was just two mechanics having a laugh. A few months later, when the picture went online, the police showed that they have a sense of humour too when they turned up at a garage and told the two mechanics they had heard reports of a murder.

It is also a little satisfying to see a joke at the expense of one of the world's biggest companies and one that can seem a tad po-faced at times (their slogan is "don't be evil"). The right balance between privacy and openness has still to be found in the internet age, but as we continue to look for it it is good to have a laugh thanks to two mechanics from Edinburgh.