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[bluey]

Seeing as the company's informal motto is supposed to be "Don't be evil" this is a pretty stupid mistake to make.  Scanning and identifying wireless networks is not in itself illegal in the UK, but taking information from them infringes on personal privacy and potentially is actionable under the Communications Act, although this may hinge on whether there was any intent of Google to do take and store the information -   Google's statement that such information was trapped accidentally looks like their attempt to get out of being fined for their activities.

What really concerns me is that the Irish Government have demanded Google delete all personal data they have accumulated via the Street View project, for which they have complied.  I'm disappointed they haven't done so voluntarily without being told across all countries, and additionally why hasn't the UK Government asked that the same action is taken?

[Dishevelled Den]

Seeing as the company's informal motto is supposed to be "Don't be evil" this is a pretty stupid mistake to make.  Scanning and identifying wireless networks is not in itself illegal in the UK, but taking information from them infringes on personal privacy and potentially is actionable under the Communications Act, although this may hinge on whether there was any intent of Google to do take and store the information -   Google's statement that such information was trapped accidentally looks like their attempt to get out of being fined for their activities.

What really concerns me is that the Irish Government have demanded Google delete all personal data they have accumulated via the Street View project, for which they have complied.  I'm disappointed they haven't done so voluntarily without being told across all countries, and additionally why hasn't the UK Government asked that the same action is taken?

I'm disappointed they haven't done so voluntarily without being told across all countries,

In that case Blue it's because as far as Google is concerned information is not only power but also (more importantly) money.

why hasn't the UK Government asked that the same action is taken

That one's easy to answer B, it's because we haven't had a government worth half-an-arsefull-of-roasted-snow for some time now.

[bluey]

I think that's a debatable point about the information being worth somethng to them - in this case it could cost them, not just in legal disputes but also in lost confidence in them from current/future customers and supporters, plus the very real threat of being attacked by fat spotty kids in bedrooms hackers and the general oddballs/reactionary weirdos that live on the web. 

It's been a few years since Microsoft were the dish du jour for for script kiddies and no-one really ever took their place.  Google was seen by most in that crowd as Gates' nemesis (and therefore were left largely alone), but I wonder how long it will be before they wake up and realise that it's just another global coporation trampling around and start to have a bash back at them.

You're right about the lack of action by the Government imv, and would be a good idea if they grew a pair and very publicly slapped Google down.  Might give people a bit of confidence in them being a bit more than a bunch of talkers unlike the last bunch of useless idiots in power.

[Dishevelled Den]

Schmidt: Don’t Like Google Street View Photographing Your House? Then Move.

This piece of sage advice from Schmidt (Google CEO) shows the distain that many in that group appears to have for the rights of those who have been featured on their site without prior permission having been sought.

The following shows Google espousing some rather concerning ambitions.

http://digitaldaily.allthingsd.com/20101025/schmidt-dont-like-google-street-view-photographing-your-house-then-move/

[aaronjb]

At least Google's cars only come around once in a while..

The Government, it seemed, had a habit of erecting hidden cameras to spy on certain segments of the population.

Naturally they are just filming us for our own safety.

[Kevin Wood]

The reality is that, if you use the internet (and one assumes that, if you have an unencrypted wireless LAN, you do) Google is already shafting you and stealing your personal information anyway, especially if you didn't bin that gay "Toolbar" that was probably part of the pre-installed bloat on your new Windoze PC.

What they can gather when driving past your house is small fry compared to what they're gathering from monitoring your internet use in other ways.

However, whilst on the internet there is very little regulation that will stick and "anything goes" I do wonder how their wireless LAN sniffing would stand up against the Wireless Telegraphy Act:

48Interception and disclosure of messages

(1)A person commits an offence if, otherwise than under the authority of a designated person—

(a)he uses wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of a message (whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not) of which neither he nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is an intended recipient, or

(b)he discloses information as to the contents, sender or addressee of such a message.

Kevin

[aaronjb]

Indeed - and also, if you do assume the gov't is interested in your usernames, passwords and browsing habits (which appeared to be a concern earlier in the thread) and was involved in this conspiracy .. there are much easier ways they could get the data than relying on Google driving past your house and hoping that the people they're interested in happen to have an unsecured WiFi router

Considering there are actually relatively few points, for example, that you would need to monitor to see all communications into & out of the country..

Or that a great many people quite happily send their email account passwords unencrypted over the Internet at large (e.g. if you log in to your webmail on http:// rather than https://, or if you use the default POP3/IMAP configurations rather than IMAPS), or use the same passwords for their IM as their email as their bank etc..

If you're that paranoid about security, you probably shouldn't be on the internet in the first place (or all of your traffic should be encrypted point-to-point, tunnelled over a VPN that emerges out of a foreign country and using something like TOR - all of which would make your browsing experience something like using a 9600baud modem, of course )

[Dishevelled Den]

At least Google's cars only come around once in a while..

The Government, it seemed, had a habit of erecting hidden cameras to spy on certain segments of the population.

Naturally they are just filming us for our own safety.

The difference of course Aaron is that the remote observation, in this case by the 'police', is supposedly done for a different purpose. 

Google's apparent aim is to collect information for the purposes of market domination and monetary gain.

[Lizzie_Zoom]

At least Google's cars only come around once in a while..

The Government, it seemed, had a habit of erecting hidden cameras to spy on certain segments of the population.

Naturally they are just filming us for our own safety.

The difference of course Aaron is that the remote observation, in this case by the 'police', is supposedly done for a different purpose. 

Google's apparent aim is to collect information for the purposes of market domination and monetary gain.

According to a Google spokesman today they had no intention of collecting data, let alone storing it whilst photographing streets.  They are to delete all that has been collected immediatey, as it should never have happened

[Kevin Wood]

According to a Google spokesman today they had no intention of collecting data, let alone storing it whilst photographing streets.  They are to delete all that has been collected immediatey, as it should never have happened

.. and if you believe that... 

After all, they would surely have already deleted it, as the last time this came up they promised it was only the SSIDs they were keeping.

Kevin

[Lizzie_Zoom]

According to a Google spokesman today they had no intention of collecting data, let alone storing it whilst photographing streets.  They are to delete all that has been collected immediatey, as it should never have happened

.. and if you believe that... 

After all, they would surely have already deleted it, as the last time this came up they promised it was only the SSIDs they were keeping.

Kevin

I would think Kevin few will, but.............

[bluey]

Coincidentally, and while on the subject of naughty behaviour with computers, Spooks was very good this evening!

[Vamps]

Coincidentally, and while on the subject of naughty behaviour with computers, Spooks was very good this evening!

  Good job it is not real or I would be worrying....