Slashdot Mirror
Brazil Orders Google To Hand Over Street View Data
cold fjord writes "France 24 reports, 'Brazilian judges gave US Internet search giant Google until Saturday to turn over private data collected through its Street View program ... Failure to do so would mean a daily fine of $50,000, up to a maximum of $500,000. ... According to a complaint from the Brazilian Institute of Computer Policy and Rights (IBDI), the car-borne software also enables Street View to access private wi-fi networks and intercept personal data and electronic communications. IBDI pointed to similar occurrences in other parts of the world and demanded that Google reveal if it had engaged in such practices. It said Google had admitted collecting data while insisting they were not used "in its products and services. The US search engine stressed that it had now removed the data collection software from its vehicles."'"
... Failure to do so would mean a daily fine of $50,000, up to a maximum of $500,000. ..
Oh! We are sooooooo scared!
I thought they abandoned that practice after the last debacle.
Email it to them and overflow their inbox
which thinks it can regulate the laws of physics.
If you don't want people receiving the wireless signals you broadcast, either don't broadcast them, or shield them so they don't escape. If you only care about the content, encrypt them.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
$500,000? To one of the biggest companies on Earth? They spend more than that on coffee. Go big or go home, Brazil. :)
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
If I were a Brazilian, I'd be soooo relieved to know that now the data would be in the hands not only of Google, but the state.
Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Google could have prevented this by moving out of the US and disconnect all ties with its government spooks.
The data did not come from Brazilian government. If they are accusing Google of spying on private data, then that private data to the government would be tantamount to spying on Brazilians on the .br government's behalf.
If data is private to the people, delete it, don't give it to government.
" to access private wi-fi networks" I seriously doubt it was hacking their networks. If you don't put a password on your wi-fi... it becomes a "public wi-fi network"...
What I'm missing here: what is Brazil going to do with the data?
If Google "hands it over", nothing stops them from keeping a copy and Brazil has no way to prevent or even check that. So the point can not be preventing Google from having the data.
So the point seems to be: Brazil wants the data for themselves and $500,000 is cheaper than setting up a spying operation themselves - an operation they could never sell as protecting privacy and computer rights of their citizens.
Or am I paranoid?
Really.. if you are broadcasting personal info to the world unencrypted, who cares if its Google or your neighbor collecting it? Its your own damned fault.
Dont like it, either encrypt or prevent your signal from invading my space ( perhaps ill just sue you for that 2nd part.. )
---- Booth was a patriot ----
500K?! ROFL! I bet everyone over at Google is getting kick out of this and laughing their ass off.
That's like someone taking one of my Vicodin out of my 240
If google had never lied willingly then they can get the benefit of the dought . But Google has long past the benefit of the dought lying and getting caught and fined many time.
Are you suggesting Google is doughty, but unable to benefit from their "fearless resolution"?
You are new to the earth i see, enjoy your stay.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
So software is removed now, it would be interesting to know what it was doing in those car first place.. Google mus have known they would be world in trouble if extent of their snooping comes out.
Oh yeah, those random seconds of random WiFi streams are rather useful both for Google and NSA.
Of course, government agency _must_ do everything ineffectively, but this kind of data is much easier collected from ISPs, no need to only pick those stupid enough to use plain unencrypted WiFi - and if you've followed the news, ISPs're quite willing to do that, both in US and abroad, thanks to NSA colleagues.
PS: Couldn't get a fourth "NSA" in there, really?
We know Google sniffed the data it sniffed because they reported themselves for doing it.
If you think about this technically, there is absolutely zero useful info one could get from such data (other than using it as a source for randomness and even then...).
All these stories do is punish a company for self-reporting a perceived privacy concern - one which they quickly addressed.
US Citizen living abroad? Register to vote!
Everybody knows what it was doing in the first place. The cameras were taking pictures. The wifi software was sniffing for SSIDs / network IDs to link them with GPS coords to assist in their WIFI based location services, like several other companies do. The software they assembled to grab the over the air packets was from an open source project. They only needed the network IDs, but the software just grabbed whatever data was in the air. Google's the one that came out first and essentially said, "whoops, hey, we accidentally logged more data than we wanted to, we'll just keep the generated reports with the data we need and delete everything else, cool?" Then the governments at large realized that they could snoop through a bunch of their citizen's web traffic and email with GEO-location and network signatures attached, FOR FREE! So, they got all huffy and demanded google hand over the goods.
Google outted themselves to the "extent of their snooping" which equates to a lesser extent than stuff anyone with a wifi phone or laptop can see who's walking or driving by your house war-driving (it's similar to war-diling back in the day). This is VERY old news that's been covered thoroughly. Whatever, not like I give a damn about educating scared and literally ignorat folks like you. It doesn't ever change anyone's mind. FYI: Google's pretty damn open about the extent to which they gather information. It's not a secret, no one gives a damn -- what does Google have to loose?
/oos/os/
All of those MAC addresses Google scoops up could be useful for the NSA database. Coupled with Microsoft's alleged MAC address document embedding (in MS Office), tracking someone down with their MAC address becomes easier. This is a tool Google will likely keep operational and secret.
I once set up a PA for people doing speeches. When the microphone was turned off, the transmissions from the business radio service nearby entered the microphone cable, which worked as a very long, and very bad antenna. I was trying to record the speeches , but was instead recording people's conversations. I had to work frantically to find a way to block their transmissions from getting into my recordings.
That's why since shortly after the invention of radio the law has been that if you want to transmit, it's your responsibility to ensure your transmissions don't unreasonably leak into other people's recordings. You are allowed to listen to anything people broadcast simply because physics are suchthat it's hard NOT to hear what people are beaming at you. Turn on your AM radio and try to tune to a silent frequency. You can't. Anywhere you set the dial, you'll hear people's transmissions. Sometimes you'll hear a dozen transmissions at once, which is called "static".
Going back to your open door analogy, the part you missed is that the homeowner is sending the conversations OUT of the house, throughout the neighborhood. It's like the door is open, yes, and they are standing in the doorway with a megaphone shouting to the neighborhood. Then complaining that someone heard them.
I want the router to "just work". Mine does. I plugged it in, and clicked "linksys" on my phone. It worked, just the way I want it to. Mild annoyance to change the default password, but beyond that, it just worked. Not at all like AT&T's where I have to bury my nugget to read the encryption key that's in fine print on the far side of the router that they installed in the TV stand. The NSA can read my internet without my router broadcasting it.
Don't collect the data on your own. Have your users collect it for you, then secretly take it from their phones. That way if the government has a problem with it, you can just say, "We didn't collect any data, all these people did. They just agreed to share it with us by clicking on an OK button."
to do with the data?
.... not sorting?? Right??
Well? That's a pretty good question, isn't it?
I thought google builds a map of wifi devices (MAC address). They then use that data to provide and sell GEO IP location services. That is how they can locate you by knowing the devices that are around your location.
Some countries might consider that data collection and use a violation of privacy, forcing google to pay.
"The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!"
Guys. The maximum fine isn't US$ 500 000. It is US$ 500 000 per day. So, for the first day they pay 50k, 100k for the second, 150k for the third... and there it goes.
This fine amounts to roughly 180M annually. If low or high, it's up for debate.
Nerdy news for your nerdy needs? http://www.soylentnews.org Soylent News is people!
I know it was a simple typo, but you have rather unwittingly highlighted one of the issues at the heart of this privacy/data collection issue.
For a brief moment, let's set aside the method and motive of the collection and deal with a company's handling of the data. If they already have my data, I'd actually be happy for the company to lose it. On the other hand, if they were to loose it, I might well be very upset.
Go Google Go! Trash every bunch of bandits/government stooges!
Why should the Brazilian government discourage Google, when Google is already doing such a good job of collecting information that might be useful to the Brazilian Government?
But instead of paying Google for that information, it would be better to get that information for free. Better yet, get Google to pay for the privilege of giving that information to the government, while still continuing business as usual.
Hey Brazil, just google it!!!
My karma is bad. Don't get too close!!!