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Google Found Guilty of Australian Privacy Breach

schliz writes "The Australian Privacy Commissioner has found Google guilty of breaching the country's Privacy Act when it collected unsecured WiFi payload data with its Street View vehicles. While the Commissioner could not penalize the company, Google agreed to publish an apology on its Australian blog, and work more closely with her during the next three years. Globally, Google is said to have collected some 600 GB of data transmitted over public WiFi networks. In May, the company put its high-definition Australian Street View plans on hold to audit its processes."

3 of 105 comments (clear)

  1. Mind Block by Saeed+al-Sahaf · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I really don't understand the issue: If you willingly radiate an unsecured Wi-Fi signal (or any type of signal), how can you claim a breach of "privacy"? *NOTHING* was "private"!

    --
    "Who are in control, they are not in control of anything - they don't even control themselves!" - Glen Beck
  2. Re:Private? by Charliemopps · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's the equivalent of google putting a tape recorder in a public park in order to record bird songs and then some people happen to walk by talking about how they like to take it up the butt. Governments see google as an easy target. Simple as that. You are NOT safe on the internet. Suck it up. Your politicians, as usual, are lying to you.

  3. Re:Private? by KDR_11k · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The law does not agree. Few people know about securing WLANs so it's not reasonable to assume every unprotected WLAN was set up with the intent of inviting you in.

    --
    Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.