Google cleared of Wi-Fi snooping

Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity)

Google did not grab "significant" personal details when collecting data from Wi-Fi networks, according to the UK's Information Commissioner Office (ICO).

The finding came after the body reviewed some of the data Google scooped up from unsecured networks. Google said the data was "mistakenly" gathered while logging Wi-Fi hotspots to help with location-based services.

The ICO said it would closely monitor other global investigations.

Hotspot spotting

Information about the gathering of personal data came to light following a request by data protection authorities in Hamburg, Germany, for more information about the operation of Google's Street View technology which adds images of locations to maps.

This revealed that Google had "accidentally" grabbed data from unsecured hotspots for years as its Street View cars captured images of street scenes. It led to many data protection authorities pressing Google for access to the mass of data it grabbed to see if laws on the protecting of personal information had been broken.
The French data protection authority said it had seen sensitive information, such as passwords, in the data during a preliminary examination.

Posted by CBN Extra Staff on 30 Jul 2010 [05:01] | Comments 0 |

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