Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701

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Google under fire in the UK for capturing private data

Google has come under government scrutiny in the UK for knowingly downloading private data from unsuspecting individuals. This was done during Google's journeys up and down Britain in the guise of their street view mapping cars.

According to the UK privacy watchdog (Information Commissioner's Office) there is evidence that Google tapped into thousands of unsecured WiFi hot-spots as they drove past British households. Information downloaded ranged from passwords to whole email transcripts.

A spokesperson for the ICO explains:

"Earlier this year the ICO visited Google's premises to make a preliminary assessment of the 'pay-load' data it inadvertently collected whilst developing Google Streetview.

"Whilst the information we saw at the time did not include meaningful personal details that could be linked to an identifiable person, we have continued to liaise with, and await the findings of, the investigations carried out by our international counterparts?"

"Now that these findings are starting to emerge, we understand that Google has accepted that in some instances entire URLs and emails have been captured.

"We will be making enquiries to see whether this information relates to the data inadvertently captured in the UK, before deciding on the necessary course of action, including a consideration of the need to use our enforcement powers."

This is not the first time that Google has done this. They have already been investigated by several countries including Canada, France and Germany.

27th October 2010