Google Tells Congress It Disclosed Wi-Fi Sniffing

theodp writes "While conceding 'it is clear there should have been greater transparency about the collection of this [Wi-Fi] data,' Google asserted 'we have provided public descriptions of our location-based services' in its written response to Congress (PDF) about whether the public had been adequately informed of its data collection efforts. To prove its point, Google's how-many-times-do-we-have-to-tell-you answer included a link to a blog entry on My Location on the desktop, an odd choice considering that Google is still less-than-clear about exactly what's being captured by the service ('When My Location is active, Toolbar will automatically send local network information (including, but not limited to, visible WiFi access points)'). Congress might also want to evaluate the transparency of this cute Google video, which assured the public of Street View's privacy safeguards, but gave no hint of the controversial Wi-Fi collection."

Comments

1st Amendment

[catmistake]

Google is sort of a news provider now. Why don't they just hide Street View behind the 1st Amendment?

Re:And^2

[d'baba]

It doesn't matter what technology or method is being used. If you find my front door unlocked and go inside and snoop around you are wrong and a trespasser.