Holy Moly
Google's Street View cars will not collect information about the location of Wi-Fi networks in a move that will surely please privacy protestors.
Google's decision to stop the controversial data gathering of unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots, that it said was accidental, was revealed in a report by Canada's privacy commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart.
It reads:"The fact that Google does not intend to resume collection of Wi-Fi data with its Street View cars eliminates the possibility of further inappropriate collection of personal information through the tool developed by its engineer."
The ‘accidental' practice of collecting such sensitive data from individual and business unencrypted Wi-Fi networks caused a raft of complaints sparking many privacy probes but such information could prove useful in pinpointing Wi-Fi access areas where phone reception is low.
The report said that Google will now get the information it needs to ‘populate its location-based services database' from user handsets, which shouldn't prove too controversial as Android users can opt in and out if using location services where they know their data is collected.
Google had previously announced it would stop collecting Wi-Fi data using its Street View cars back in July but had not said whether it would start collecting again.
Stoddart said the internet giant has violated the privacy of thousands of Canadians with its collection of personal data, but added that the country would not continue legal proceedings, probably in part because of Google's vow to stop its Wi-Fi data scavenging.
However, Stoddart's decision has angered privacy groups and Privacy International has written to the commissioner (OPCC) to raise its concerns, according to The Guardian.
Alexander Hanff, an adviser to Privacy International, told the newspaper: "They [the OPCC] have stated that this was the work of a lone engineer which is so implausible it beggars belief and could potentially have consequences which impact on ongoing cases elsewhere in the world...Their lack of enforcement or legal action despite confirming Google broke the law, is worrying - we would have liked to see some real action off the back of such a conclusion."
Australia's privacy commissioner has reportedly already said that Google's data capture broke the law, while investigations in Spain and South Korea are under way.
Interestingly, the UK's information commissioner said Google probably didn't collect ‘significant amounts of personal data,' which raised eyebrows at the time and will probably attract attention after Canada's findings. However, it is not thought the UK commissioner will take another look at the case.
