Australia: Police investigate Google over Street View data

[Shinobi]

Federal police have launched an investigation into Google and some of its employees for collecting private information while taking photographs for the Street View service.

June 06, (news.com.au) -- It was revealed last month the web giant's Street View cars had collected data from personal Wi-Fi networks while taking photographs in countries including Australia.

Federal Attorney-General Robert McClelland today revealed he had referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police.

"I note there has been some complaints voiced, and understandably voiced, by the public in respect to practices that have been reported involving allegations that some information may have been obtained by staff of Google travelling around streets," Mr McClelland said.

"On Friday the Attorney-General's Department did refer those allegations and those reports to the Australian Federal Police."

Google last month admitted it had "mistakenly" collected fragments of data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks as its Street View cars drove past houses.

Engineering and research executive Alan Eustace said the cars were only meant to collect the name of the Wi-Fi network and the ID of the device running it.

However he said the cars had also collected "samples" of information being sent over networks that were left unsecured.

Mr McClelland today said the data collection may have in breach of the Telecommunications Interceptions Act, "which prevents people accessing electronic communications other than for authorised purposes".

Google has been facing tough questions about why it was gathering the data and how it would delete it since the collection was exposed.

The scandal even prompted an admission of error from Google co-founder Sergey Brin.

"We screwed up... I'm not going to make any excuses about it," he said at a conference for software developers in late May.

In Australia the incident has attracted criticism from organisations including Electronic Frontiers Australia and the Australian Privacy Foundation, as well as politicians.

Communications Minister Stephen Conroy, who stood alongside Mr McClelland today, last month said Google was responsible for the "single greatest breach in the history of privacy".

Google and Senator Conroy are already at odds over the Government's planned internet filter, which the web company says amounts to censorship.

A spokesperson for Google today told news.com.au: "This was a mistake. We are talking to the appropriate authorities to answer any questions they have."

http://www.news.com.au/technology/police...5876136967

Quote:Google last month admitted it had "mistakenly" collected fragments of data from unsecured Wi-Fi networks as its Street View cars drove past houses.

Sure!

[yeti]

Quote:Engineering and research executive Alan Eustace said the cars were only meant to collect the name of the Wi-Fi network and the ID of the device running it.

Why do they want that information?

[Melchor]

Just another reason to use the old fashioned ethernet LAN connections.

[scaramanga667]

ROFL!! How could it be an accident? You either build the equipment needed for the collection of data into the street view cars on purpose or you don't. Did they accidently install expensive wifi tapping equipment into the cars? I dont think so, they obviously knew exactly what they were doing.

The bastards got caught and are stumbling over themselves to explain it away. I can't believe anyone is falling for that shite.

[Shinobi]

Just another bunch of weirdos who like knowing when you take a dump and really like to watch as it oozes out..
its always got me that this is what we are dealing with its almost toilet porn .. strange corps get a kick out of knowing this stuff.

Okay that was funny but you get my drift, any surveillance corp should be looked upon as weird though as wtf is it to them what you do in your own time away from their eyes. I guess their excuse is when it comes to it that everyone is a potential terrorist and thats just shit down the pan to me. Theres no doubt they were collecting data for weirdo government sources and other private entities and the police just wernt in the know about it, and yes of course google got paid for this, thats entirely obvious.

[---]

it's a good enough reason for a pink floyd tune

[Shinobi]

Class! Classic! now you know where those techno music freaks stole their zanny intros from