Uproar Over Google’s Wi-Fi Data Harvest [Multichannel News]
On the global front, policymakers on both sides of the Atlantic are questioning Google regarding private data the company admitted to collecting from open wi-fi networks. As readers will recall, Google used its Street View fleet to capture open wi-fi router MAC addresses in addition to over 600 gigabytes of traffic flowing over those networks.
Meanwhile, here at home, the reviewers are on both sides of the aisle. U.S. Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Joe Barton (R-Texas), co-chairmen of the House Privacy Caucus, have recommended that the FCC take a closer look at Google’s activity, though they have not yet asked for a formal investigation. They have proposed a list of detailed questions that they would like Google to answer by June 2.
When the company announced the fact that it collected traffic from open wi-fi networks, Google indicated that it planned to isolate and delete the network transmissions.
With Congress getting involved, Google is under pretty intense pressure to keep the collected information. Since it is possible this could lead to subpoenas and evidentiary requests. Google has agreed to hold on to the data for now.
Data privacy advocates and ordinary users alike will be following the results of the House Privacy Caucus' inquiry about Google's data collection activities. While other more formal investigations may be in the works, this may be a good first opportunity for policymakers to determine to what extent Google's Street View program went to sweep up user data.
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