Quote
guenter
English coverage. They will have to destroy the data.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100515/ap_on_hi_te/eu_tec_germany_google_privacy

Google sounds like it was an accidental, unintended incident/breach.
The much better if a mere accident makes Google change policies.

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Google simply forgets that once data are collected they can be used in a way not originally intended - e.g. fall into falls hands.

google is hilarious. i don't believe they were oblivious to the 'glitch', either they knew about it and ignored it(not likely) and perhaps found it a good opportunity to collect user data or deliberately 'listened' to transmissions and collected data

here's how they explain it from the bbc http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8684110.stm

In a blogpost Google said as soon as it became aware of the problem it grounded its Street View cars ....

TRANSLATION: when we got caught red-handed

from yahoo:
Only two weeks ago, Google was telling Germany's consumer protection authorities that it was only recording the network's names and addresses....

that means they already admitted to collecting data but it was limited to network identifiers before getting caught collecting more.. that clearly indicates bad intentions.

from bbc:
Google said the problem dated back to 2006 when "an engineer working on an experimental wi-fi project wrote a piece of code that sampled all categories of publicly broadcast wi-fi data"

if they can pinpoint when the 'problem' started means they are very aware of the 'experiment' and what it did..that experimet was probably commissioned and they might as well say the engineer was a CIA operative

from bbc:
Dan Kaminsky, director of penetration testing for security firm Ioactive, said there was no intent by Google.

"This information was leaking out and they picked it up. If you are going to broadcast your email on an open wi-fi, don't be surprised if someone picks it up."


this is complete bollocks and disturbingly similar to schmidt's statement on privacy "if you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place" really>? is that how privacy works with google? i know i consume fish almost daily but i 'dn't want the entire world to know about it or google when looking up red snapper recipes. EVEN ON NON-SECURE WI-FI when all your activity is public whether you don't really care or due to lack of knowledge on security, no one would know certain data unless they knew exactly what they're looking for

kaminsky's statememt is like making a comparison to when someone throws away their bank statements without shredding them, then it's the users ' fault for leaving such documents lying around..this is rubbish, since that data will not be collected(whether hardcopy or cyber-data) unless someone is knowingly looking for specific info and deliberately sifting through your garbage or your 'online transmissions' to get that data
if they were honest and discovered such data flying around they should have:
1- neglect it and never collect it
2- immediately acknowledge the problem in their software, announce it and fix it

how does dan kiminsky know that google had no intent? does he work with them..does he get invited to their board meetings where they discuss their policies??.. how can someone like kaminsky make such an assumption and state it as a fact? why are 'security firms' in BRITAIN AND THE USA grouping around google and quickly dismissing any intention of wrong-doing

John Simpson, from the Consumer Watchdog, told the BBC: "The problem is [Google] have a bunch of engineers who push the envelope and gather as much information as they can and don't think about the ramifications of that."

yeah right, so those over zealous and immaculate engineers are doing all this behind the management's back? the google officers have no idea what those guys do, they never pass memos in the morning or have meetings to discuss how the system works.. it's a company running on its own with everyone running wild and having complete freedom to do what they see best without referring to their department heads. unless mr. simpson is on google's payroll himself, he's a complete idiot

Collecting 5 second fragments even of open WI-FI communication might be considered as collecting personal data (fine up to 250 000 Euro).

Illegal (not allowed) recording E-Mail exchanges can be an interference with the Telecommunications Secrecy which is listed in § 206 German penal code.

http://www.derwesten.de/wp/region/Google-Daten-aus-Versehen-aufgesaugt-id2989493.html

kinda reminds me of spy films..when the safehouse or operation gets busted, they quickyl destroy everything and flee the scene

one thing is for sure, google will think twice before attempting any furute shenanigans on german soil

The size of the punishment is too lame for big companies.

I doubt that the Datenschutzbeauftragten (Officials that do Data Protection, high federal, provincial ... person) can do anything too hurtful for now.

Google immediately saw the problem & chose to comply with demands - good policy.
A law abiding company that made a mistake.

p.s. Unlike Anglo countries Germany has positivistic (?) law - means legislation must be mention the offence. This can mean You are legal to sell a derivative of a forbidden drug...

IMHO: Google will comply with this complaint now and be open for new ideas of what and how to collect.

Why?

Does not really understood the underlying problem?
Is economically too dependent on knowing very much?

Mere chance that something goes wrong in a big company that treads new ground?

Whatever.

Nobody knows but Google.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2010 12:55PM by guenter.