Lawmakers ask FTC to look into Google wi-fi data
By Wilson • May 20th, 2010 • Category: Industry News, Lead Story
- Photo: Stock.Xchng
So it seems that Google’s apology for stealing wi-fi data isn’t enough and the Federal Trade Commission has been requested to have a look at the matter by lawmakers and a California-based advocacy group.
Why?
It came as a shock to most people who innocently viewed the Street View cars as improving their Google Maps experience. However, it has now become public knowledge that the Internet giant accessed and stole date from unencrypted wi-fi networks unknowingly. The probe has been requested in attempt to see whether collected data by Google violated privacy laws. It is believed that the data which Google collected over the years may have included emails, whose content could have ranged from anything to passwords or other confidential information.
The letter to the FTC
The probe has been initiated by Reps. Ed Markey, Democrat, and Joe Barton, Republican who signed the letter to the FTC addressed to Jon Leibowitz, Federal Trade Commission Chairman. In the letter Barton and Markey ask how Google committed such a heinous act and who had access to the wi-fi data. The letter has been made available to the public. Though the FTC accepted receiving the letter the party at fault has refused to comment on the matter any further, only stating that they were working with government agencies and trying to quickly solve the matter.
Europe also after Google
- Photo: Google
It also seems that a European probe is on the cards with prosecutors from Hamburg looking into the matter in Germany, and agencies from Italy and Spain looking for any broken privacy laws. UK officials have also asked for a probe into the matter, looking at the same issue, and a spokesperson for the search giant has reported that the Internet search engine giant is complying with all concerned parties.
It’s seems to be a bittersweet moment in time for Google right now as the great minds knock their heads together their I/O conference paving the way for a better Internet. And at the same time they are in trouble with the law. Either way the Internet giant has made its intentions known to encrypt searches for future reference in light of the current embarrassing situation or hopefully they don’t find themselves in this situation again.
Tags for this article: FTC, Google Maps, Google wi-fi, privacy laws, wi-fi
I think this whole thing is being turned into something more than it really is. The key here is that the networks they “stole” data from were unencrypted. It’s not like they hacked people WEP and WPA encrypted home networks with the intention of stealing their personal information. If you leave a network unencrypted and are willing to broadcast your information freely around like that, how can it possibly be a violation of privacy laws if someone picks up those signals? Furthermore, Google says they are disposing of the information, and that they wish they had never gotten it in the first place.
I just think calling this a “heinous act” is a little extreme given the circumstances. And the fix is simple; encrypt your home networks, and passing Google cars won’t suck in your information.