UK’s Information Commissioner has changed his mind – there was a significant breach by Google. This piece on the BBC website summarises the change of mind.
This is the but that’s hard to believe: ‘Google discovered that, along with legitimate data about the location of wi-fi hotspots, the cars were also hoovering up personal details from unsecured networks, known as payload data’. What were they thinking?
Bad enough that Google has been photographing everyone’s property – and a post photograph opt out seems a very limited protection for those who object to the intrusion of privacy. But ‘hoovering up personal details from unsecured networks’ does not seem like a smart way to win and influence friends.
I think Google has been a pioneer and has contributed in a hugely positive way to society. But they need less gaff’s on the privacy front.
