New Less-Redacted FCC Investigation Report on Google ‘Wi-Spy‘ Case Raises ’New Questions’
- Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:18am by
Liz Klimas
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Google releases full report of the FCC's investigation into its "inadvertent" data collection practices with its Street View project. (Photo: Wikimedia)
After the Federal Communications Commission had slapped Google with a $25,000 fine earlier this month in concluding its investigation into the Street View project collecting data from open wireless networks of residences and businesses, Google has fired back releasing the full report of the investigation as it seeks to clear its name.
Google‘s less redacted report of the investigation compared to the FCC’s, the Los Angeles Times reports, only raises “new questions about how Google captured personal information over a two-year period.” One of these is the contradiction between Google’s argument that the data collection was “inadvertent”:
The report points the finger at a rogue engineer who, it says, intentionally wrote software code that captured payload data information — communication over the Internet including emails, passwords and search history — from unprotected wireless networks, going beyond what Google says it intended. The engineer invoked his 5th Amendment right and declined to speak to the FCC.
Even still, according to the FCC report, Google seems to have had the opportunity to at least have known this data collection was going on. The report states this engineer had told two other engineers about the data collection and also provided the Street View team with a document in 2006 that included he would be logging this information. Here’s what those on the team had to say about this alleged document:
Those working on Street View told the FCC they had no knowledge that the payload data was being collected. Managers of the Street View program said they did not read the October 2006 document. A different engineer remembered receiving the document but did not recall any reference to the collection of payload data. An engineer who worked closely with the engineer in question on the project in 2007, reviewing all of the codes line by line for bugs, says he did not notice that the software was designed to capture payload data. A senior manager said he preapproved the document before it was written.
FCC‘s investigation found in 2010 that Google’s Street View cars “collected names, addresses, telephone numbers, URLs, passwords, email, text messages, medical records, video and audio files, and other information from Internet users in the United States” as well as Canada and some European countries.
Even so, the fine imposed by the FCC was not over the collection of the data being illegal. It stated since the wireless networks from which the info was obtained were unsecured, it was not an illegal action. The fine was issued for Google impeding the FCC’s investigation, which the company has denied doing.
In a 14-page letter issued last week, Google is not trying to get out of the fine but does dispute the FCC’s reasoning for imposing one.
In its letter, Google argues that the 17-month inquiry would have gone much more quickly if the FCC hadn’t dawdled so much. In some instances, Google says the FCC took seven to 12 weeks to respond to information that the company had submitted to the agency.
The FCC’s delays were so frequent and lengthy, according to Google, that the agency‘s legal window for completing the investigation would have closed if the company hadn’t agreed to a seven-month extension.
“That is hardly the act of a party stonewalling an investigation,” Google lawyer E. Ashton Johnston wrote in the letter to P. Michele Ellison, the chief of the FCC’s enforcement bureau. “Rather, it is a demonstration of Google’s interest in cooperating and allowing the FCC time to conduct a thorough investigation.”
FCC spokeswoman Tammy Sun said the agency stands behind the work of its staff.
“In promising to pay the bureau’s penalty, the company has rightly admitted wrongdoing,” Sun said of Google.
A Google spokesperson emailed the LA Times saying with the report now made public, the company hopes it “can now put this matter behind us”. But some, like SlashGear, speculate privacy advocacy groups are now getting “their teeth into the freshly released report” and “it’s unlikely this topic will go away any time soon.”
The Wall Street Journal notes the Electronic Privacy Information Center recently petitioned the Department of Justice to consider the issue, believing the$25,000 fine didn’t go far enough for the privacy infraction.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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South Philly Boy
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 6:04pmI wonder if they read the email about EATING DOG
Report Post »JediKnight
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 2:28pmStop running unprotected access points. Then you don’t have to worry about people getting your data. Running an unsecured access point is like leaving your front door unlocked when you leave the house or leaving your windows open when you change. If you do that, you can’t be surprised to find your valuables gone when you get home or pictures of yourself on the Internet.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 1:34pmThey have CFR connections. Nothing will be done about this.
Report Post »JediKnight
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 2:30pmNothing should be done about this because the FCC is right. Grabbing data from an unprotected access point isn’t illegal. If you‘re using someone’s open access point, the best that person can hope to do is get you for theft of service. Using an open access point (which they weren’t doing) should be illegal, but it isn’t. Grabbing data from one isn‘t illegal and I’m not sure that it should be. The point is, secure your wireless access point and this isn’t a problem.
Report Post »justangry
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 3:14pmYou’re right. It isn’t illegal, it’s unethical.
Report Post »eternal_vigilance
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:44amId like to see folks start acting like adults. On here, in the media, in the government.
Oh, and I’m NOT holding my breath.
Report Post »G-WHIZ
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:06amAnything with [WE the Govt]=FCC in it or other “investgative” arm, should be of extreeme suspect. On the otherhand, the “public” airwaves, when someone(or compamy/corp. leaves it “un-protected” in this life, has a 100%-chance of the govt “listening” in and recording everything to your detriment. The Gove will [never] use it for your “help”.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:12amAwe, don’t worry about it. Have a little faith, they didn’t make the universe. What can they do to you?
Report Post »mccracken
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:53amSpam
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:44amWhat ever made people think that they weren’t going to collect as much of your personal data as they possibly can? Didn’t they label you with a number because according to them you are not entitled to anonymity? How simple of you to think they are not wicked. And Oh I’m sure the FCC is serious about taking Google to task.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:47amBut never fear because according to the universe, men are entitled to anonymity from other men, just not from God, but men are not gods. The lord will take care of things.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:50amPeople live an upside-down existence – people are not created equal which is exactly why Liberty is important so individuals can equalize themselves in spirit, and people are entitled to anonymity so as to learn, which is exactly why Liberty is important.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:59amThe nice thing about technology is that it has brought people into the realm of the Lord God, even though men’s technology is still primitive. My point is that it’s just a matter of time before God turns everything off.
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:01amYou don‘t actually think you stand a chance against the lord’s technology a million years more advanced than you do you?
Report Post »Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:07amSee, God’s servants will come here, and do something to you, and then do something to your enemies, and then do something to you to make it look like your enemy did it.
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:10amWhen the government uses cameras to spy on the Occupy protesters, it’s all fine and dandy. Watch what they do and lock them up if they do something you don’t agree with. Gas them if necessary.
Report Post »When cameras are used to spy on you, then it‘s all Obama’s fault and the government and corporations are suddenly evil.
Itsjusttim
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:11amThat’s how God historically does it anyways.
Report Post »JP4JOY
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 5:39pmTimmy,
Report Post »Time to take your meds again.
Razlord
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:40amC-SPAN: Cheney Authorized Pentagon Attack on 9/11
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THlZ-Rd-lig
General Wesley Clark: Wars Were Planned – Seven Countries In Five Years
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RC1Mepk_Sw
love all the reporting and in depth journalism on this subject…
Report Post »eternal_vigilance
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:40amSo, if the they “rightly admitted to wrongdoing,” the question becomes why do it in the first place?
Report Post »That covers the collection part. Now, how does the governments collection of a fine help the injured parties? So, they’ve got the data and the question becomes what were or more importantly are they intending to do with it. How redundant is it? Who’s going to overlook their destruction of this data? Will the government get a copy? It ALWAYS amuses me when the dimwits in Congress (should that be little“c” now that they’re insignificant?) start asking questions about a subject they know little to nothing about.
G-WHIZ
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:16amNo govt-fine ever went to help the innocent-person…it just feeds “the system”. Even the court-awards go mostly to THE LAWYERS . At the end of a looooooooooooooooooong “class’-action suit, for about 1/2-trillion$$, each actual fund-owner,who lost thousands-and-more received, 10yrs-late, about a $20.00-check…I lost about $100,000.00 and I got a $20.00-check…the lawyers and govt soaked up the rest!!
Report Post »Fubared
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:35amIn other news, the NSA has announced a hiring freeze in order to collate new data…
Report Post »Razlord
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:35am25k fine…wow…took google a whole second to make that…what freakin’ bs.
Report Post »Jennifer Flowers
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:35amWhich is why I don’t use a wireless router.
Report Post »Stoic one
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 11:54amI do and the passcode is the MAXIMUM allowable digits. That keeps any locals off that might want to use my net access. Next this router does not quite reach the end of my driveway. It would be easier to monitor me, and most people, via our ISP’s.
Report Post »ReviveOurNation
Posted on April 30, 2012 at 10:33am“FCC‘s investigation found in 2010 that Google’s Street View cars “collected names, addresses, telephone numbers, URLs, passwords, email, text messages, medical records, video and audio files, and other information from Internet users in the United States” as well as Canada and some European countries.
Even so, the fine imposed by the FCC was not over the collection of the data being illegal. It stated since the wireless networks from which the info was obtained were unsecured, it was not an illegal action.”
Not illegal? It should be illegal! Just because I leave my front door open, it does not make it legal for someone to come in my house and steal my belongings.
Report Post »