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37 States Join Investigation of Google Street View
bonch writes "Attorneys General from 37 states have joined the probe into Google's Street View data collection. The investigation seeks more information behind Google's software testing and data archiving practices after it was discovered that their Street View vans scanned private WLANs and recorded users' MAC addresses. Attorney general Richard Blumenthal said, 'Google's responses continue to generate more questions than they answer. Now the question is how it may have used — and secured — all this private information.'"
Poop dog, baby. Poop-fucking-dog. That's what *I* have to say to Google. Poop dog.
Give me a break, if this was Microsoft everyone would be screaming bloody murder and how its wrong to collect data even if it is on public airways. Now you fault the government for attempting to advocate privacy and prevent a multi-billion dollar corporation which specializes in information from roaming around in vans vacuuming up data. You are simply playing Google's Advocate, much like 70% of Slashdot, anytime they get their hand caught in the preverbial cookie jar all you find is one excuse after another.
The statement that if you want privacy, lock yourself in a basement, is bullshit. Privacy should be assumed, last time I checked I lived in the US and not in China, so why should I fear for big brother (if its Google or Uncle Sam makes no difference to me)? What excuse would you give if google was catching all of the packets you sent over your land line? Afterall they weren't encrypting it, would you say don't use the internet if you want privacy? What if they recorded every phone call you made over Google Voice? Would you say that you simply should meet face to face? If it was a black van with FBI written on the side and they were recording every public WiFi, I seem to have a hard time believing that you wouldn't get a little nervous.
As far as Washington goes, I expect them to go after corporations and protect my privacy. I expect them to represent the 300 million people in this country and not multi-billion dollar companies which stuff politicians pockets. I expect corporations to have lawyers on retainer which can explain to them what is stupid and what is not. And I expect Google's engineers from not acting like a bunch of idiots.
As I see it, your MAC and SSID are never private.
I agree - but that wasn't all they scanned and stored. Which, what the summary fails to mention but the article makes quite clear, is the actual issue: "the unwarranted collection of e-mails, passwords and other personal data of those who failed to protect their networks with passwords."
Sure, the data wasn't protected in any way, and it was broadcast in public - but why store it, if all you want is the MAC Address and the SSID. And why would you then claim that all you stored is exactly that and nothing more until it comes out that wasn't the case?
Lars T.
To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck
"If you go around filming streets, but always do close-ups of people without their consent, and store the films despite no streets being on them"
Repeat but make sense.
If I then proceeded to release a free mapping service to everyone and made money from putting ads in then I'm fairly sure people would probably understand my motives.
Sure "If you go around filming streets, but always do close-ups of people without their consent, and store the films despite no streets being on them". Still don't get it - maybe second grade will help.
Lars T.
To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck
So why was Google collecting and archiving MAC addresses?
First you are a troll so this isn't directed at you (You won't read or understand it anyways, but a reply is what you get for replying to my post)
Google collects MAC addresses with the physical location of that MAC address, so that later when a device again sees that MAC address near by, you can use that data to ask Google where you are.
It's used in addition to, or as a replacement for, the government controlled GPS.