Online search giant Google is the focal point of global investigations into potential privacy breaches of Street View. A 38-state coalition is demanding from Google whether it tested its Street View software before it was made live. The concern is that the online location viewing software collects data which is transmitted over wireless networks.
An investigation was launched by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on behalf of the executive committee of a 38-state coalition. Similar investigations have been launched by countries around the world, including Europe, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and Australia.
Google has acknowledged Street View’s unauthorized data collection. An investigation by the French National Commission on Computing and Liberty (CNIL) found that Google “saved passwords for access to mailboxes” without the knowledge of users and “posted excerpts of content of electronic messages.”
According to a press release from the Connecticut attorney general’s office, data being collected by Street View can include e-mails, passwords, and other sensitive information.
In a post on its official blog, Google said that “we have been mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open (i.e. non-password protected) WiFi networks, even though we never used that data in any Google products.”
The company called the hidden feature a “mistake,” claiming it came from a bit of code leftover from an experimental WiFi project in 2006 that “sampled all categories of publicly broadcast WiFi data.”
Mr. Blumenthal said in a press release that “Google’s responses continue to generate more questions than they answer.” He added that the 38-state coalition and himself are demanding that Google reveal whether it tested the software beforehand—tests which should have revealed its user data collection feature.
In a letter sent to Google on July 21, the 38-state coalition demanded the identities of the specific individuals who created the “snooping code,” and how Google remained unaware of it.
“Information we are awaiting includes how the spy software was included in Google’s Street View network and specific locations where unauthorized data collection occurred,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “We will take all appropriate steps—including potential legal action if warranted—to obtain complete, comprehensive answers.”
He added that the coalition will “vigorously and aggressively investigate” the data collection and “will determine whether laws were broken and whether legislation is necessary to prevent future privacy breaches.”
Among the states which have signed onto the investigation are New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Texas, and Florida.
An investigation was launched by Attorney General Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on behalf of the executive committee of a 38-state coalition. Similar investigations have been launched by countries around the world, including Europe, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and Australia.
Google has acknowledged Street View’s unauthorized data collection. An investigation by the French National Commission on Computing and Liberty (CNIL) found that Google “saved passwords for access to mailboxes” without the knowledge of users and “posted excerpts of content of electronic messages.”
According to a press release from the Connecticut attorney general’s office, data being collected by Street View can include e-mails, passwords, and other sensitive information.
In a post on its official blog, Google said that “we have been mistakenly collecting samples of payload data from open (i.e. non-password protected) WiFi networks, even though we never used that data in any Google products.”
The company called the hidden feature a “mistake,” claiming it came from a bit of code leftover from an experimental WiFi project in 2006 that “sampled all categories of publicly broadcast WiFi data.”
Mr. Blumenthal said in a press release that “Google’s responses continue to generate more questions than they answer.” He added that the 38-state coalition and himself are demanding that Google reveal whether it tested the software beforehand—tests which should have revealed its user data collection feature.
In a letter sent to Google on July 21, the 38-state coalition demanded the identities of the specific individuals who created the “snooping code,” and how Google remained unaware of it.
“Information we are awaiting includes how the spy software was included in Google’s Street View network and specific locations where unauthorized data collection occurred,” said Mr. Blumenthal. “We will take all appropriate steps—including potential legal action if warranted—to obtain complete, comprehensive answers.”
He added that the coalition will “vigorously and aggressively investigate” the data collection and “will determine whether laws were broken and whether legislation is necessary to prevent future privacy breaches.”
Among the states which have signed onto the investigation are New York, Washington, Massachusetts, Texas, and Florida.
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