Posted in: Mobile software

Street View is watching you, like everything else with the Google logo on it

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Google is watching you, every email, every web search. And, apparently, it’s also snooping on your Wi-Fi network. As it turns out, Google has been collecting the information sent over many non-password-protected Wi-Fi networks during their Street View tours. And that’s been going on for years!

Up until now I thought of the Street View as of a remarkable idea. Actually, even now, after this disturbing news, I think it’s Google Maps’ greatest feature. But what is that spying obsession?

Thanks to the data protection authority in Hamburg, Germany, the truth was recently unveiled and Google had to admit everything. Namely, the Street View cars collected “fragments of transferred data” from non-password-secured networks while passing by people’s homes. Luckily, protected networks were not affected. And even the collected data represents only a fraction as the Street View cars usually drive out of the individual Wi-Fi networks ranges pretty fast.

According to the company itself, this data has never been used in any Google products. Hmmm… And we’re supposed to trust that? And one more thing. Google have actually never intended to use that information. But why would they even include that experimental code that sniffs on public Wi-Fi networks?

Anyways. The guys from Google say they are sorry. Really sorry! Whatever.

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