Markey, EPIC Won’t Let Google Wi-Spy Die
Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., isn’t satisfied with the Federal Communications Commission’s investigation of Google’s surreptitious collecting of Wi-Fi data from residential networks. Nor is he happy with the slap-on-the-wrist fine the FCC imposed on the company, claiming Google “deliberately impeded and delayed” the agency’s investigation. So he’s calling on Congress for a broader probe into Google’s Wi-Spy debacle.
And he’s not the only one. In a letter sent to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) also called for another investigation, this one by the Department of Justice.
“Given the inadequacy of the FCC’s investigation and the law enforcement responsibilities of the attorney general, EPIC urges the Department of Justice to investigate Google’s collection of Wi-Fi data from residential Wi-Fi networks,” EPIC Executive Director Mark Rotenberg wrote. “By the [FCC’s] own admission, the investigation conducted was inadequate and did not address the applicability of federal wiretap law to Google’s interception of emails, usernames, passwords, browsing histories and other personal information.”
Pointed criticism of the FCC’s investigation into Google’s Street View street-mapping service, both. But some would argue well deserved. One would think that a serious inquiry into the issue would have at least included interviews with the employees involved in the data collection. But according to the FCC, Google decided that making those employees available for questioning “would ‘serve no useful purpose.’”
Perhaps the DOJ could persuade Google to be a bit more cooperative.
PREVIOUSLY
- France to Google: Your CEO Is a Hamster and Your “Rogue Street View Engineer” Smells of Elderberries
- Lawmakers Would Like a Word With Google’s “Rogue” WiSpy Engineer
- Connecticut Won’t Press for Google WiSpy Data, Looks to Settle
- Well, Hell, If I Knew All I Had to Do Was Seize the Hard Drives…
- Look, Sergey, a Christmas Card From the Connecticut AG! Wait…
- Google Street View Privacy Debacle Far From Over
- FTC Closes Google Street View Probe
- Google CEO Apologizes for Street View Schmidtstorm
- Google CEO’s Advice to the Street-View Shy: The Video
- Schmidt: Don’t Like Google Street View Photographing Your House? Then Move.
- Mr. Schmidt, There’s an Inspector Lestrade on Line One
- State AGs to Probe Google’s “Deeply Disturbing Invasion” of Wi-Fi Data
- No Harm, Big Foul: Google Intercepted Passwords and Email Extracts
- Germany Questions Google’s Data “Mistake”
- Google Street View Cars Collected Wi-Fi User Data for Three Years
