News - Google faces fresh UK privacy probe

[HEXUS]

British watchdog to take another look at Street View data worries.

Read more.

[Saracen]

" .... and was never intended to be used by Google in any way"

Well, that's all right then. It doesn't matter that you snaffled up people's passwords and even emails. These things happen.

I can see it now ....

Thief : "I'm sorry officer, I didn't mean to rob the bank. It just happened accidentally."

Cop : "Well, that's all right then. Be more careful next time you're in a bank."

[cheesemp]

Well, that's all right then. It doesn't matter that you snaffled up people's passwords and even emails. These things happen.

I can see it now ....

Thief : "I'm sorry officer, I didn't mean to rob the bank. It just happened accidentally."

Cop : "Well, that's all right then. Be more careful next time you're in a bank."

Thats a bad example! Google have at least got the various public bodies involved. What about all the companies that don't and you just haven't heard of it? Also you have got to be asking what the public think happens to their emails/passwords as they go across the internet in plain text - Criminals who will actually use the data for committing crimes can read it! In fact that is what scares me about the way this is reported. It makes it look as if google where doing something terrible advanced to get the data - I suspect I could get similar data using my mobile! The public need to realise their data is NOT safe unless they encrypt it!

[Saracen]

It wasn't exactly an example - more like satire. But what the public do or don't realise is beside the point. The point is that Google have a statutory responsibility and this makes it appear they breached it. There are duties on people that collect and store personal information, and given the abuses (accidental or malicious) that have occurred in the past, so there should be.

My first question is why Google were collecting, and recording, this data in the first place, especially in relation to a project like Streetview? The second is why they're talking about deleting it now, and why that wasn't done immediately?

My 'example' was a bit facetious .... but only a bit. There are a number of offences that are "absolute". If you commit those, it doesn't matter why you did, or what your intentions were - the mere fact that you did the act is enough. That's what I was getting at, albeit in a loose way. And Data Protection breaches are viewed as being, potentially at least, pretty serious. For instance, the recent Wikileaks scandal. Under UK data protection laws, Google could face a half million pound fine for this, in addition to the damage it dies to their credibility. And , having closed the investigation once, the Information Commissioner now seems to be re-opening it in the light of these apparent admissions about the nature and scale of data collected. That make me wonder what Google told the IC last time, and it makes me wonder just how much of an "investigation" the ICO did.

[usxhe190]

He [Alan Eustace, , VP of engineering and research] said Google is ‘mortified' that personal data has been collected, but stressed the search giant has set up ‘stronger privacy controls inside Google' to stop it ‘accidently' happening again.

Given he is already mortified, we really shouldn't tell him about the other Google products with privacy concerns

[Mattus]

My first question is why Google were collecting, and recording, this data in the first place, especially in relation to a project like Streetview?

Well, I highly doubt it was a high-level decision - more likely the independent work of an engineer or two. This is one of the disadvantages of running a highly creative company where staff get a day off per week to work on their own projects. Running an organisation as big and powerful as Google, you have to make sure that that creativity doesn't end up deployed in inappropriate ways. But it's not like there was a grand Google conspiracy to snoop on people's Wi-Fi, co-ordinated by Eric Schmidt himself!

After all, Google has far easier ways to get the data it wants out of you.

The second is why they're talking about deleting it now, and why that wasn't done immediately?

If they'd tried to cover their tracks by erasing the data rather than allowing the appropriate bodies to see it, I imagine they'd be in even more trouble.

Under UK data protection laws, Google could face a half million pound fine for this

Have you seen how much money Google makes? Fining Google half a million is like fining me 50p!

[Saracen]

.....

Have you seen how much money Google makes? Fining Google half a million is like fining me 50p!

I agree. When the penalties for this were revised earlier this year, it was suggested that the maximum should relate to the turnover of the company, but (sadly, IMHO) that option was rejected. However, a balance has to be struck between the seriousness of any breach and the effect it has on those whose data is compromised, and the potentially damaging effect it has on the company. A £500,000 fine would put many small companies 0ut of business, but you're right, Google could shrug it off.