Alaska Joins $7 Million Multistate Settlement Over Google Street View
March 12, 2013
In addition to taking photographs from its Street View cars, Google used antennae and software to collect wireless network identification information, for use in future “geolocation” services. But Google also collected data transmitted from unsecured wireless networks as the Street View cars drove by. The data included email communications and other potentially personal information. The data collection occurred between 2008 and early 2010. Google has since disabled or removed the equipment and software used to collect the data. Under the agreement, the company is banned from collecting such information in the future without notice and consent, and it will destroy the collected data as soon as legally practicable. Google agreed that the data was not shared or used, and will not be used, in any product or service. Google also must institute a program to train its employees on privacy issues and conduct a public service advertising campaign to educate consumers about protecting personal information while using wireless networks. Alaska’s share of the settlement is $95,334. According to the settlement payment shall be used by the Attorneys General for such purposes that may include, but are not limited to civil penalties, attorneys' fees and other costs of investigation and litigation, or to be placed in, or applied to, the consumer protection law enforcement fund, including future consumer protection or privacy enforcement, consumer education, litigation or local consumer aid fund or revolving fund, used to defray the costs of the inquiry leading hereto, or for other uses permitted by state law, at the sole discretion of each Attorney General.
Edited by Mary Kauffman, SitNews
On the Web:
Source of News:
E-mail your news &
photos to editor@sitnews.us
|
||