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Illinois homeowner writes rude sign on house to stop people spying on them on Google Maps
Featured Image Credit: Kennedy News and Media

Illinois homeowner writes rude sign on house to stop people spying on them on Google Maps

The homeowner had a clear message for people looking down on their house from above

A homeowner who apparently got sick of people spying on them on Google Maps decided to take matters into their own hands by writing a sign on their house - but, unfortunately, it didn't have the result they were looking for.

The good thing about hanging out at your own home usually means that you've got a bit of privacy, but one resident in Lake County, Illinois obviously didn't feel like they were being left alone quite as much as they should have been.

It's unclear exactly what inspired the homeowner to hit back with a giant message on the roof of their house, but it seems clear they were conscious of people keeping an eye on them.

They obviously felt like they were being watched from above, either by nosy neighbours, or by curious Google Maps users who trawl the globe looking for interesting sights.

Whatever the reason, the homeowner decided to make clear that the prying eyes weren't welcome as they wrote a huge sign across their roof reading: "Watch porn, not me."

Looking back at older images from Google Maps, it seems the text has been on the roof since at least 2008 and has faded over the last couple of years, but it's still doing a good job of getting people's attention.

Many Google Maps users search for interesting things in the world.
Kennedy News and Media

One Facebook user shared a picture of the house after they spotted it on Google Maps - admittedly proving that the homeowner had valid reason for writing the message - and it went viral after they posted the screenshot to a group for fans of satellite images.

Alongside the image, the poster wrote: "Near Chicago. Soon it should be a law to have a quote on your roof."

Obviously the homeowner intended to drive people away from their house, but the message only seems to have had the opposite effect as people are now more keen to see the house than ever.

The homeowner was clearly conscious of people spying on them.
Kennedy News and Media

The Facebook post containing the picture of the house has received more than 120,000 interactions since it was first shared online, with a lot of users admitting that the message only made the house more interesting.

"This poor guy or whoever is probably seeing this and thinking 'well s**t, that didn't work out'," one person joked.

A second added: "And then suddenly, the entire world was watching THEM."

"I can't disagree with the homeowner," joked a third.

Though the homeowner's plan might have backfired slightly, at least there are dozens of other strange things on Google Maps to distract people when they get tired of looking at the roof.

Topics: Life, US News, Weird