Controversial cars and a U-turn
Despite deciding that Google committed a ‘significant breach' of the UK Data Protection Act with its controversial Street View cars, the Information Commissioner has said Google will escape without a fine.
Google has admitted its Street View cars ‘accidently' collected data from individuals' and businesses' unsecured Wi-Fi connections when it was collecting images for its location-based services.
Despite outcry from several countries, the ICO originally found Google had not breached any data rules when it first investigated but vowed to examine the situation again after Canada's data agency said Google broke its laws when more information on the breach surfaced.
In a letter to Google, Christopher Graham said Google will not face a fine despite its naughtiness but instead the search giant must promise that no similar data breach will occur again or face further action.
Google must also delete all the data it ‘accidently' collected in the UK with its Street View cars, while the Metropolitan Police has dropped its investigation into the incident.
Graham said: "It is my view that the collection of this information was not fair or lawful and constitutes a significant breach of the first principle of the Data Protection Act.
"The most appropriate and proportionate regulatory action in these circumstances is to get written legal assurance from Google that this will not happen again - and to follow this up with an ICO audit."
