The Street View service is under fire in Germany for scanning private WLAN networks, and recording users’ unique Mac (Media Access Control) addresses, as the car trundles along. Germany’s Federal Commissioner for Data Protection Peter Schaar says he’s “horrified” by the discovery.
“I am appalled… I call upon Google to delete previously unlawfully collected personal data on the wireless network immediately and stop the rides for Street View,” according to German broadcaster ARD.
Spooks have long desired the ability to cross reference the Mac address of a user’s connection with their real identity and virtual identity, such as their Gmail or Facebook account. Google has not published the WLAN map, or Street View in Germany; Google hopes to launch the service by the end of the year. Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently said internet users shouldn’t worry about privacy unless they have something to hide.
I love these wannabee snoops and their bogus rationale. That said, you are broadcasting the signal.
Found by Aric Mackey.
“shouldn’t worry about privacy unless they have something to hide.”
Classic.
So much for the “Don’t be Evil” motto. Welcome to the dark side Google.
“bogus rationale”—whaaaa?
I’ll but under severe torture, Google would defend this activity the same way you would defend this blog.
Go!
Here in the US most people mistrust the government and put full faith in corporations.
But in Europe, they trust the government and mistrust corporations.
– You’re looking at a devoted fan.
– D.T.A.
D.T.A., okay. What’s that, man?
Don’t trust anybody.
Words to survive by. Watch your feet.
– D.T.A.
– D.T.A.
In other news, 65% of Facebook users click “Remind Me Later” while their personal information is dumped on the net.
Actually, Google’s doing the WLAN thing probably for their “WLAN-Assisted geolocation” database. That is, depending on which wireless lans (and their respective MAC addresses) are “visible” at the time, they guess a different approximate GPS coordinate.
Seriously, sell your GOOG.
It’s over for these guys..
Sounds like a non-issue to me. If you’re broadcasting your information, why is there an expectation of privacy? It’s like putting your name on a mailbox, visible at a public street and complaining that someone found your address… or maybe walking naked by open windows and complaining someone saw you naked. Actions have consequences and if you do something without thinking about the consequences you *will* without a doubt have consequences you didn’t think of.
umm,
DO I have to mention the USE of wireless is ASKING to be used?
Wireless has its uses. But if you are ignorant of the NEED to protect and control the signal, you are an IDIOT.
Wireless is like ASKING/TELLING everyone, within signal range, HERE I AM, come and USE ME/hack me/access me..
Who remembers the OLD wireless phones? and using an FM radio to listen to the conversations??
IF you have WIRELESS access, You should UNDERSTAND how to protect yourself. If you want PRIVACY you dont use WIRELESS.
My SSID=InTheMorning
And there is no wireless security. There is nothing available on the network that has intrinsic or real value to anyone, even me.
So they can see my mac address? So, that’s meaningless information! Especially when you consider most hardware (like routers) can SPOOF different mac addresses.
The best they can use with that information is look up the hardware manufacture your router is, then MAYBE use a known exploit to hack your router. But they don’t need Google maps to see what your router’s mac address is, since just being in range will tell them that.
It’s not like you real life identity is some how linked to a mac address. Now, your IP address can be. Which your ISP can identify you if they get a order from a judge.
I don’t have a problem with what they are doing, I just worry about Eric Schmidt’s rationale. I have always liked and trusted google until the line “internet users shouldn’t worry about privacy unless they have something to hide” just came out of their CEO’s mouth.
Their board needs to take a step back for a moment and take a look at that statement. Picture where you are going to be in 10 more years with this guy steering the ship.
Hmm maybe I should change my SSID to F*CKGoogle…
this is bs
why is everybody crying when goolge is doing something they are not the first one to do???
what about skyhookwireless.com
they did exactly the same thing john you should know that as a tech journalist
$9 & #10, sure, broadcasting your SSID is basically just asking for people to see it, but the MAC address is another matter.
When you have the necessary security on your router turned on there is an expectation that no unauthorized user can get into your network. However assholes can still get at the MAC address without having to go through your security.
Google just simply shouldn’t be doing this. And they damn well know it or they’d have announced that they do it a long time ago.
I just can’t trust google at all any more. First it was the non-removable flash cookies they track your computer with even if you don’t go to any google owned sites, then there is the 3 years they retain data collected from their own sites and sites that use google ads that you may have visited, there was the facebook-like privacy blunder they made with Buzz, and now this, not to mentin that they are heavily in bed with the CIA, spying on their own citizens with no legal authority or right.
Google CAN”T be trusted. If Microsoft did these things they’d be up in front of a court from violating people’s privacy in 10 seconds flat. What does google get a free pass when they do the same?
In my opinion, this public official is probably hacked off because Google won’t give the “public safety/security” entities exclusive use of the information. Just try and convince me that the Federal Police and Intelligence services of Germany aren’t drooling over this database.
16,
iNSTALLING wireless, is asking for ANYONE to use it that can get access.
IF you are stupid enough to install it, you BETTER be stupid enough to protect it.
To many people think its an EASY trick to give you Access around your house.
IT IS..
and IT IS, easy access to anyone that wants it, if you DONT PROTECT IT.
Not surprising. These are the same stooges that though IP addresses should be classified and treated as personal information. Most home routers let you change the MAC address pretty easy anyway. If people are concerned, WPA2-PSK and a good password, then it’s a non-issue.
I don’t see the benefit in doing this. Why record something as useless as a list of wi-fi MAC addresses?
#4
Shouldn’t that be in quotes and attributed to Jon Stewart? Besides, it is bullshit. Europeans do not trust the government and Americans do not trust the corporations (or vice versa). But if television satirist (shill) Jon Stewart says so, who am I to argue?
Google and Facebook are both starting to feel like stalkers. The MAC address is used to make map location services more accurate.
“Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently said internet users shouldn’t worry about privacy unless they have something to hide.”
This has long been the rational of fascists and those that cannot think clearly.
Sorry dude. That reasoning never stands and is just plain wrong. I hope Germany wins this round.
23,
very close.
But what are the Odds, I could go thru ANY computer and find porn? 99.99%
Between all the sites POPUP’s and Net SPAM, there is a great chance you have it sitting in your IE favorites and history sections.
Its harder to keep PORN off your machine then to keep Virus/bots OFF your machine.
And depending on the OLD laws in your area, you could be sent to jail JUST for having ACCESS to them.