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My Location the Next Google Privacy Controversy?

Posted by samzenpus on from the learning-to-trust-the-google dept.

theodp writes "While Google boasts one of its Privacy Principles is making the collection of personal information transparent, even techies are left guessing about what's going on behind the scenes of certain products. The American Dictator points out that Google's Wi-Fi collection efforts don't stop with its Street View cars, offering up this explanation of Google's My Location: 'When you allow Google to "know your location," what you are really agreeing to is to send to Google's computers your Wi-Fi environment — not only the name of the Wi-Fi hotspot you are logged into, but also the names and signal strengths of every Wi-Fi hotspot around you. In other words, the same things that those Google Street View cars were sucking up as they drove by your house.' So, will changes in privacy attitude prompt changes in Latitude?"

2 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. Google is getting scary by NobleSavage · · Score: 0, Troll

    They are too big and know too much.

  2. Re:That information is all being broadcast. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    I said RELATIVE TO ME you fucking idiot. So, that's not what I'm talking about at all. You obviously have no clue how wife-geo-location works. When I am standing at a certain point, I have different wireless networks available me and at different strengths than when I am standing elsewhere. That information is something only I know by standing there. Please explain how that is public information when you have to be in my fucking bedroom to know who kind of wifi signals I get from my FUCKING BEDROOM.

    I hate idiots.