Canada launches Google probe

ITWeb reports that Canadian privacy commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said she was concerned about the privacy implications stemming from the collection of data from wireless networks in Canada, the US and other countries. 'We have a number of questions about how this collection could have happened,' Stoddard said. 'We've determined that an investigation is the best way to find the answers.' The US Federal Trade Commission has already begun an informal inquiry into the matter. Full ITWeb report

Nearly three weeks after admitting that it had sniffed sensitive data from open wireless networks around the world, Google is now facing at least six US class-action lawsuits over its practice. PC World reports that the first lawsuit was filed on 17 May on behalf of Vicki Van Valin of Oregon and Neil Mertz of Washington. Since then, the lawsuits haven't stopped coming. Google is now facing two more cases in California courts, two in Washington, DC, and another in Florida, brought by ISP Galaxy Internet Services. The lawsuits claim that Google violated federal wiretapping laws by sniffing wireless traffic - including the content of e-mails and Web-surfing activity - with its Google Street View cars. Full PC World report

Meanwhile, Google has said it is 'close' to resolving issues that have prevented it from passing a hard disk of data to German authorities. According to a BBC News report, the disk contains Wi-Fi data Google Street View cars gathered by mistake. Pressure to make the data available has been increased by the German regional Information Commissioner that started the inquiry. Dr Johannes Caspar said he expected Google to 'choose the path of co-operation and transparency'. Google had until the early hours of 27 May to hand over the data to Caspar from the Hamburg Information Commissioner's office. Caspar had requested answers to a range of technical questions about how Google had managed to gather details of Internet traffic from wi-fi networks belonging to individuals and businesses all over the world. Google will also hand over data it collected through wireless networks to French and Spanish authorities as it faces mounting legal issues concerning its data collection. ITWeb reports that Google has disclosed it collected private data while taking photographs for this product. The US Federal Trade Commission has already begun an informal inquiry into the matter. Google has said it would co-operate with authorities. It had previously denied any wrongdoing in sending fleets of cars around the world to take pictures. Google first revealed that cars were also collecting wireless data in April, but said no personal information from WiFi networks was involved. Australia has denied waging a campaign of vengeance against Google after launching a police probe of the Web giant, a strong critic of plans for a nationwide Internet filter. According to a report on the News24 site, Communications Minister Stephen Conroy has called CEO Eric Schmidt's approach to privacy 'a bit creepy' and accused Google of deliberately collecting private data while taking pictures for its street maps. But Conroy said the privacy investigation had been ordered by the Attorney-General, and mirrored similar action taken against Google in other countries. The report notes that AG Robert McClelland said he had asked police to investigate after receiving numerous complaints about Google collecting private wireless data. Full BBC News report Full ITWeb report Full report on the News24 site