FTC Ends Probe of Google StreetView Privacy Breach 99
GovTechGuy writes "The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) wrote to Google on Wednesday to end its probe into a major privacy breach in which the company collected and stored private user information, such as passwords and entire e-mails, without even realizing it after the search giant promised to improve its privacy practices."
I'm sure that... (Score:5, Interesting)
They didn't *get caught* (Score:5, Interesting)
Gee, we got caught; better do it differently next time.
Well, the fact is, Google discovered the abnormal storage themselves. And reported it immediately.
Storing that data was not their intention, only making a map of SSIDs.
It's not like they where planning to keep this data and profit by re-selling it to marketeers (FaceBook, I'm looking at you !)
I stay with my belief :
- The clueless users who don't secure their network are the problem.
- Even if Google did got punished, this won't suddenly make the clueless users less vulnerable to anyone with bad intentions.
- And, if the next recording guy is a bad guy, it's very unlikely that he'll report himself. He'll just run away unnoticed with the data, and try to sell it.
Re:Still being Sued by Canada (Score:3, Interesting)
See, in other countries - like say, Canada or the UK or the EU - corporations aren't People. And they have no rights.
Re:Still being Sued by Canada (Score:3, Interesting)
heya,
You're an idiot.
Now, I know people in Canada like to trumpet about how WE'RE NOT THE US!!
Lol, personally, here in Australia, I find it quite funny. And likewise, Europeans want nothing to do with those horrible Americans *eye rolls*. The fact that they're inward-looking and quite a bit xenophobic (disguised as nationalistic pride) has nothing to do with it.
However, apply some logic here. The parent had it dead on. Whichever idiot used the "walk into somebody's home" argument is either technically incompetent (which in itself isn't a negative thing, although I do wonder why they're reading Slashdot), or just an idiot, full stop.
This is like broadcasting in clear on the CB.
Personally, I think the Canadians and EU are probably just annoyed off at the whole American hegemony or whatever, or the fact that Google is an American corporation, and they didnt' think of it first...lol. That, or this is some silly populist pandering exercise, designed to make ti look like their privacy commissioners are actually doing real work.
I mean, seriously, Google is hardly going to kick and scream, they're an easy target in that sense, they'll just shrug and move on. Why don't you actually try targeting something that shows balls, like I don't know...real companies who actually violate your privacy?
Cheers,
Victor