Google becoming to big or possibly evil?

[KSoD]

This story is a few months in the making. Back in may reports broke that Google was recording information on unsecure WiFi networks in Germany. They made an apology back then and said:

"An engineer working on an experimental WiFi project wrote a piece of code that
sampled all categories of publicly broadcast WiFi data. A year later, when our
mobile team started a project to collect basic WiFi network data like SSID
information and MAC addresses using Google's Street View cars, they included
that code in their software—although the project leaders did not want, and had
no intention of using, payload data."

Google outlined the steps it plans to take as a result of the mistake. The
company says it intends to delete the data "as quickly as possible." It has
already grounded its Street View cars, and will halt collection of WiFi network
data.

Yet here we are 5 months later and just 2 days ago this news story broke:

Google has finally admitted that they will no longer use their Street View cars to snap up details of users' wi-fi networks that it passes along the way. Google had stated that they only used the data for geolocation tasks to show where a user was based.

Wait isnt that what they said 5 months ago when this happened? Yet it still was happening for 5 more months! Add into that the fact that news broke that Google had collected information from people as well!

So now if your in Canada or Germany and you happen to be on an unsecure WiFi network when one of these Street View cars were rolling by you have the potential that they stole your information. Cause not only did they get user account information but they got some passwords as well!

However, the Google street cars took more than just photos, it also took personal information, like user IDs. According to a report by Reuters, Google stole more than just the details it originally claimed, it also captured full emails, URLs and even passwords.

That makes me feel great knowing that such a company could have some information like that. Add into this some more the fact that even after admitting to stealing this information, they did not say a word about it being destroyed, stolen or used for any purpose at all. They just admitted to the fact that they "accenditally" stole it. Nothing else.

To me personally that is a big problem. That goes beyond anything I have seen from companies before. Even when Microsoft was the "bad guy" and forced how many developers out of work back in the early days of Windows doesnt add up to things like this. Back they they stole programs and ideas, they never stole personal information. Honestly i think it is time that some agencies took a long hard look at the almighty Google and did something about this. 5 months after promising that they wouldnt steal data and they get caught again only worse is unacceptable.

 

[CntdwnToExtn]

Yea, I've been keeping both eyes on this situation.
You would think someone at Google would be smart enough to go "hmmmm, these cars will be pickin' up informaiton from Wi-fi...what are the problems with this?"

And people wonder why I don't use Google or Chrome....

 

[Kharn]

Ah back in the days of web 0.9 Beta (rev 2) when 56k was the speed to be seen at, there was a small company called Google.
Started with a dream riding on a hope, with a call to all "Don't be evil!" they took the highways and byways of the internet by Storm.
Move over Lycos watch out Alta vista the Google train is going full tilt.
Move on in time the bubble did pop shaky legs for the people who are broke, But google stands tall and cry's "WEB APPS FOR ALL!"
As time moves on they just give you more and there is no telling what lays in store, youtube etal hops to the beat of on demand services with a dose of text adds.
In 2010 ugly questions are raised, thats my packets your sniffing and I don't like it at all and the final child of the bubble has lost all it's luster.

 

[KSoD]

I have definately strayed from Google a long time ago. I still use my 1 GMail account, only cause it is linked to something important. But really i have most of my mail going to my Live accounts now and i use Bing almost full time. Google is really starting to show its ugly side and many people will be shocked to learn what the company is really doing.

 

[patonb]

And now they have Google TV... so they snoop on what you watch, and probably say!

 

[S0ULphIRE]

I lol whenever I hear about this.

If anything, google doing this is GOOD for everyone because it's a wakeup call for all the idiots out there to secure their bl***y network.
It's not illegal to passively collect information, and it's not 'stealing' to do so either. These people on their unsecured wireless networks were already broadcasting all their info to everyone, and now they're all offended because google used that info? Tough ****

It's like getting angry at the person standing next to you on the train because they can hear your phone calls. Pffffffffft

 

[KSoD]

So you think it is okay that they took user account information and passwords? I do think that would be considered illegal that they saved this information. Maybe not in Australia, but in North America, it most certainly is. I dont care about the whole aspect of using the unsecure WiFi. I do care that they got accounts and passwords. That is the whole point behind this post. Not to show that they are using unsecure WiFi. But the fact that they have been caught twice now getting information that is well beyond the scope of what the street views cars need.

I fail to understand how a car that is used for data collection for geological tasks would need to get peoples accounts and passwords in the first place. That seems to me that they were hacking or tracing peoples activities on their unsecure wifi networks. That would most certainly fall into the illegal aspect. If they just used it to connect to the Google Servers and pass information to them, then there wouldnt be an issue. But to store the other stuff they did most certainly is stealing and illegal.

You cant go and do that even on an unsecure network. Google shouldnt be doing it either.

 

[iPROTechman]

I agree with you TBH Mak. Nowadays too many people are trying to control/have an influence in individuals lives.

First you have Apple telling the consumer WHAT they want and it's the next big hype.... and now you have google checking up on everyone.

What's next >.>.

 

[CntdwnToExtn]

I lol whenever I hear about this.

If anything, google doing this is GOOD for everyone because it's a wakeup call for all the idiots out there to secure their bl***y network.
It's not illegal to passively collect information, and it's not 'stealing' to do so either. These people on their unsecured wireless networks were already broadcasting all their info to everyone, and now they're all offended because google used that info? Tough ****

It's like getting angry at the person standing next to you on the train because they can hear your phone calls. Pffffffffft

In Canada you can not connect to someone's wireless without their permission.

So if your door to your house was unlocked, I could go in?

 

[farinha]

They haven't deleted the data because they are facing lawsuits in some countries.
Although I condemn Google for all this situation I also agree with soulphire. How can people be so stupid and have their network unprotected? This is what I call natural selection, theory of evolution, survival of the strongest, in this case the smartest.